Netanyahu gives Merkel a Hiter mustache: Unfortunate Photo-Op Hall of Fame

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In this video grab, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gesture during a joint press conference in Jerusalem on Feb. 25, 2014. That's all that's going on here./  

Photo by Yoav Lemmer/AFP/Getty Images

By Joshua Keating

As if relations between Israel and Europe weren’t rocky enough right now, with disputes over settlements in the West Bank and sanctions on Iran, the photo above, from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Israel, has gone superviral today, particularly in Europe and Israel. 

The original version of the photo to make the rounds was by Jerusalem Post photographer Marc Israel Sellem. JPost Knesset reporter Lahav Harkov tweeted that "none of the higher-ups at JPost are pushing that picture. It's not on our site and won't be in the newspaper." However, JPost reporter Ben Hartman did share it, calling it the "picture of the year." The version above is a video grab posted on Getty Images.

Yes, it's a complete accident, and dispite some recent disagreements, Merkel is far friendlier to the Israeli government than most European leaders.  But it's still far too good to ignore.