A Queens halal restaurant is facing heat for plastering photos of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Biden on the sidewalk outside the establishment — criticism that didn’t seem to faze the eatery’s owner.
Pro-Zionist organization Betar USA wants the mayor’s office to remove the images that customers need to step on in order to enter The King of Falafel and Shawarma located in Astoria, slamming it as “anti-Semitic and anti-American materials” on public property.
Israeli and American leaders are even labeled war criminals as part of the inflammatory display that is considerably worn after being there for months.
The images on the sidewalk — and on the restaurant’s interior floor — also feature Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, former President Donald Trump, ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and other leaders that the owner believes has been overly supportive of Israel.
Betar spokesperson Meredith Weiss said the organization wants to see the posters on the public sidewalk scrapped by the city right away.
“If the falafel restaurant owner in question genuinely cared for the welfare of the people of Gaza, their focus would be on condemning the oppressive leadership of Hamas,” Weiss said in a statement to The Post.
“This was nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt to display hatred — of Jews and America. These actors of hate are fundamentally un-American and have no place in New York.”
“Enough with empty words. It is time for responsible leaders to rise above divisive rhetoric and take a stand, rather than perpetuating an agenda rooted in hatred,” she added.
Betar’s letter sent to City Hall on Friday argued the city “has become increasingly unrecognizable as authorities appear to turn a blind eye to violence and hatred, allowing an atmosphere of hostility towards the Jewish community to persist.”
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Queens rabbi David Aglaze called the imagery “inappropriate” and an “incitement to hate.”
“It’s really the greatest demonstration of, of their lack of sensitivity and humanity, to step on people’s face is a form also of incitement to violence,” said the rabbi of Havurat Yisrael of Forest Hills. “It’s a form of dividing the community and making people hate one another — and that’s tragic.”
But owner Fares “Freddy” Paideia, who sells authentic Palestinian street food, insisted the display is not antisemitic, and he isn’t just targeting Jewish leaders.
He argued he’s an “equal opportunity” pro-Palestine protester, noting he also has pictures of Saudi Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas on the ground because he believes they’ve previously been friendly with Israel.
“It’s not just about being Jewish. I have Middle Easterners,” Paideia told The Post on Sunday. “I have the Palestinian leader. I’m not being specific about a certain group.”
He said he placed the posters on the sidewalk after he got increasingly upset over the conflict in Gaza that was sparked when Hamas terrorists slaughtered 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 more back to the Palestinian enclave in a brutal sneak attack.
“If I just had only Israeli leaders, I would understand why they’d be upset. But I’m not being specific,” he said, insisting he chose a form of protest that doesn’t harm anyone and that he supports a two-state solution.
The inside of the restaurant, in addition to world leaders on the floor, also has a mural on the wall that depicts the bloody war in Gaza with bombs destroying buildings and killing civilians, including journalists and children.
Paideia is used to stirring the political pot, noting a few years ago the Saudis were “trolling me like crazy.” Social distancing decals had photos of Bin Salman and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan caused the uproar, the Queens Chronicle reported at the time.
“It’s not a big deal. I think I had about 40,000 one-star reviews in about 24 hours,” he claimed.
His action has been cheered on by Jordanian-Palestinian writer and activist Sam Husseini who tweeted Sunday, “On the floor, you step on genociders” and a Halal Instagram account that wrote, “Stepping on Netanyahu’s face was therapeutic.”
The Department of Transportation is looking into the matter, according to city officials.
“Mayor Adams unequivocally stands against all forms of hate speech and discrimination,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
Paideia said if city officials want to remove the images on the sidewalk, he won’t fight it.
“It’s my first two feet. That’s about it. If they want to come and take it out, they can take it out. I have no problem,” he said. “I still have the inside and the bathroom.”
Additional reporting by Aneeta Bhole
