Restaurant's 'floor of shame' urges customers to 'step on disgraceful' Israeli leaders

Customers at a Palestinian-owned New York restaurant are encouraged to step on photos of Israeli politicians before they order lunch.

King of Falafel and Shawarma in Queens includes pictures of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other far-right Israeli politicians on the floor.

A caption urges patrons to “step on us – we love it” as they enter.

Owner Freddy Zeideia, who grew up in the West Bank, says the collage has continued to grow amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“The only way I could protest is putting the pictures on the floor for people to see, people to step on,” he tells Daily Express US. “In the Middle East, when you put someone’s picture for people to step on, that’s a disgrace.”

The Palestinian-owned restaurant has been a mainstay in the neighborhood since 2002. Originally a food truck, the brick-and-mortar opened in 2016.

Zeideia was named a “big, jovial king in Queens” in a glowing New York Times profile that same year.

He says the photos have been on the floor for three years.

“But October 7 came and it was worse,” he says, referring to the surprise Hamas attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis.

The attack prompted an outpouring of support for Israel from most Western governments. That’s when Zeideia added President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to the list.

Other leaders represented in the “floor of shame” include France’s Emmanuel Macron, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman. The last one was added in protest of the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“I add more, but they just keep disappearing from people stepping on it,” Zeideia said.

On Monday, customers were seen shuffling in and out of the popular spot, which offers shawarma sandwiches and chicken platters under $15.

A large “Free Palestine” flag hangs on the window. Inside, a large mural portraying graphic scenes of the destruction in Gaza — including journalists being shot by IDF forces and medical personnel covered in blood — was in the process of being painted.

So far, Gaza health authorities estimate that more than 24,000 Palestinians have been killed as Israel continues its unrelenting war effort in retaliation for October 7.

One clerk told Daily Express US that staff have received phone calls and threats about the provocative decorations.

“We just block them,” the employee said.

The restaurant is located in Astoria, a diverse neigbhorhood partially represented by US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The neighborhood has a sizeable Muslim population and includes one area known as “Little Egypt.”

Zeideia says he’s not worried about the backlash.

“What am I gonna cry? Or I’m gonna change how I feel about my people because a few don’t like what I’m saying?” he said.

He says his home in Ramallah, located near the Israeli settlement of Ofra, was recently raided by extremist settlers.

“They don’t need no reason,” he added. “The settlers come in at night, once or twice a week after midnight, firing airguns, saying, ‘Death to Arabs, death to Arabs!'”

Local artist Gabriele Perici began painting the mural on the wall two weeks ago.

“People see it and post it on Instagram,” he tells Daily Express US. “It’s been a very, very good response, actually. Excellent. Very refreshing to see that we still see each other as humans.”

He added: “I’m not afraid, because a lot of my artist friends — painters — they don’t dare to do this because they’re going to be blacklisted.”

Zeideia thinks the mural speaks for itself.

“The whole idea is that mural — everyone can sit there. I don’t need to say nothing,” he said.

Calls for a ceasefire in Gaza are growing louder, with police arresting hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters who blocked multiple bridges earlier this month. President Joe Biden appears to be running out of patience with Israel, allegedly yelling at Netanyahu “This conversation is over!” in a phone call last month.

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