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(UPDATED) No Joke: Israel to Dig Up Obama’s Gift Tree He Planted in Jerusalem

Mar. 20, 2013 3:23pm Sharona Schwartz

Israeli President Shimon Peres watches at right as President Barack Obama plants a magnolia tree during a planting ceremony at the President s Residence in Jerusalem, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Obama help plant a magnolia tree which is a descendant of an original magnolia tree from the White House grounds. Credit: AP

President Barack Obama planted a magnolia tree at the official residence of Israeli President Shimon Peres Wednesday afternoon, providing yet another photo op showing the warm relations between the two countries. Turns out it was just that – a photo op.

The Israeli sites Ynet and Maariv reported that just hours after Obama planted the tree, Agriculture Ministry officials began digging it up.

Late Wednesday night, the Times of Israel and the Jerusalem Post clarified that the tree had not actually been dug up yet, rather was wrapped in a special plastic netting so that it could be dug up at a later time by agriculture officials in order to inspect or quarantine it. Maariv writes that the tree will be dug up for inspection on Thursday. The Jerusalem Post reports:

The Agriculture Ministry was in contact with Beit HaNassi [President Peres's official residence] about the tree, and all of the parties involved agreed that the tree should be planted within a special envelope for the time being, rather than directly into the ground, the ministry said. This will enable the ministry to thoroughly examine the tree, after which it will return the plant to the president’s garden, the office added.

Obama brought the tree with him on Air Force One, so the tree – like all other imported agricultural products – has to undergo the requisite tests for entry to the country.

President Peres’s office says the uprooting was decided upon ahead of time.

Agriculture officials tell Ynet that the tree will be quarantined in order to determine if there is any plant disease present. If given a clean bill of health, the plant will eventually be returned to the Israeli President’s residence after inspection.

A Times of Israel reporter wrote of the initial reports, “If this were April 1, we’d assume this was a wind-up.”

At the tree planting ceremony, Obama said, “It’s an incredible honor to be able to offer this tree to this beautiful garden with so much history with somebody who is a champion on behalf of the Israeli people and a champion on behalf of peace. And we’re very good gardeners. I’m sure this tree is going to do great.”

An Agriculture Ministry official told Ynet (Blaze translation from Hebrew), “Because the American President Barack Obama brought the plant with him and because it is forbidden to bring plants into Israel from overseas without first passing inspection or quarantine – due to the fear of importing disease or harmful pests that could be found on the plant – the tree will thus be taken for tests.”

The officials stressed there’s no diplomatic gaffe here, that officials in President Peres’s office and at the Foreign Ministry were aware of the plans.

Agriculture officials say the examination could take “months.”

Here’s the photo op of the tree planting in which Obama says the tree traveled with him on Air Force One, courtesy of Ynet:

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Comments (176)

The-Monk
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:05pm
I surprised he didn’t bring vegetables to plant from Michele…

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- servant100
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:11pm
  ‘…from Michelle???” kind of like a vegetable planting a vegetable….
  
  Report this comment
- Caniac Steve
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:36pm
  i was thinking the same thing..like a Obama “eat your peas” plant..LOL
  
  Report this comment
- fastfacts
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:43pm
  Did you hear the reports about what the people think about Obama’s visit. Both sides don’t trust him and according to a reporter over there, every poster with Obama’s face is defaced. Here is a video of some Palestinians burning US Flags and posters of Obama: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2013/mar/palestinian_bethlehem_burn.html
  
  Hey Mr. President, get a clue, we don’t want you over here.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:44pm
  Great picture.
  
  Over here boy! Yes massa, I keep digging.
  
  Report this comment
- 4xeverything
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:11pm
  So Jerk, you’re such a racist that instead of understanding the history of Israeli slavery for hundreds of years under Egyptian rule you see a black guy digging a hole.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:16pm
  They should test Obama. After all, he’s a carrot!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- OpenTheDoor
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:30pm
  Only an idiot would take a tree indigenous to southern swamps to a country that is a freekin’ desert
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:53pm
  4xeverything, lighten up. And, Abraham and Israel owned slaves. The Torah even comes with instructions on how to treat their slaves. So, get off of the poor Jew wagon.
  
  Report this comment
- tzion
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:54pm
  @Tech
  That’s strange. I thought the Jews controlled Obama. Oh wait, sorry, that’s what YOU said not me.
  
  Report this comment
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:23pm
  Zero thinks that because he is Obama the great, that he can forego any country’s laws. They should pack it up and send it back like he did the bust of Churchill to Great Britain.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc333
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:39pm
  Why is this a story?
  Unrelated note 4XEVERYTHING… its pointless to bother with the jerk.. he’s like an idiot savant without the whole savant part.
  
  Report this comment
- RabidPatriot
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:40pm
  It was probably raised in a nursery. A meeting was done for PR strategy and the best they could come up with is buying and planting a tree. It was dug up by some unknown person, an aide arranged all the details, unknown people packaged it, loaded it on trucks, shipped it on a plane, locals probably trucked it to the site, some unknown grounds crew (Israeli) dug the hole and placed the tree in the hole. President Obama smiles and throws two scoops of dirt in, takes all the credit, and now everything is all better. Problem solved.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:56pm
  Keatonc333, what were you told about calling other people names? Go to your room.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 8:26pm
  The_Jerk
  
  OK… that was funny. : )
  
  Report this comment
- comforteagle
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:31pm
  This isnt even blaze worthy, let alone news worthy… country checks its imported flora is not new
  
  Report this comment
- Proverbs17-12NLT
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:54pm
  That’s the most work obumma has done in 4 years
  
  Report this comment
- antrancher
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:34pm
  You don’t really think Michelle actually works in that garden do you?? Hahahaha. A woman with how many attendants? She is Royalty you understand…
  
  Report this comment
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:54pm
  He was going to smoke it. The dope head.
  
  Report this comment
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 11:03pm
  You know how Israel rates. Egypt gets tanks and F-16′s. Perez gets a *¥©iπg tree to hide behind.
  Oh I forgot. They are digging it up. T.S. Perez.
  
  Report this comment
- Obama_In_PeePee_By_Zee_Arteeeest_Beck
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 11:47pm
  “(UPDATED) No Joke: Israel to Dig Up Obama’s Gift Tree He Planted in Jerusalem”
  
  Oops, wrong headline. Here is the right one:
  
  “White House admits it did return Winston Churchill bust to Britain”
  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/9436526/White-House-admits-it-did-return-Winston-Churchill-bust-to-Britain.html
  
  “Barack Obama’s White House has been forced to admit that it did return a bust of Sir Winston Churchill to British diplomats, after describing such claims as “100 per cent false”.”
  
  “Aides to Mr Obama were furious after The Daily Telegraph disclosed last week that Mitt Romney planned to restore the Jacob Epstein sculpture to its home under George W Bush from 2001 to 2009. ‘I’m looking forward to the bust of Winston Churchill being in the Oval Office again,’ the Republican challenger confirmed at a fund-raiser at London’s Mandarin Oriental hotel.”
  
  Monsters in the Oval Office.
  
  Report this comment
- banjarmon
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:17am
  BHO’s shovel ready job when he is out of office one way or another!!!
  
  Report this comment
- techengineer11
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 7:21am
  tzion
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:54pm
  @Tech
  That’s strange. I thought the Jews controlled Obama. Oh wait, sorry, that’s what YOU said not me.
  
  I must have committed the unpardonable sin and challenged Jewish supremacy?? Gotta love these censors.
  
  Report this comment
- upeopleneedtogetalife
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:49am
  Everyone should worship and serve Israel as it is written.
  
  They are clearly the most deserving and intelligent people in the world.
  
  Now let’s go get all the terrorists that would harm the USA and God’s Israel.
  
  Report this comment
- Brewtal
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 4:27pm
  If Obama planted a tree in my yard I would piss on it every morning.
  
  Report this comment
Coyote1953
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:04pm
All countries have import laws regarding importation of plants and animals. Some are banned all others are quarantined.

Why would Obama expect his photo op plant to bypass another countries quarantine?

That guy has no respect for any laws.

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- airborneoathkeeper
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:12pm
  …except for his own.
  
  Report this comment
- HigherRoad
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:32pm
  I agree! His “people” (and his has plenty on the payroll) should have inquired about that long beforehand. Protocol is not one of this administration’s strong suits.
  
  Report this comment
- Freedomlover_US
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:05pm
  Yeah well when the President of a country that keeps their a$$ alive wants to plant a tree, he can damn well plant one wherever he wants…
  
  Report this comment
- TexVet61
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:13pm
  When you think your the messiah, then you think you ARE the law NOT!!!
  This guy is the biggest criminal in nations history, benidict arnold has nothing on BHO, I think its halarious that the LAMEstreamMedia investagates NOTHING on this criminal, I mean I have yet to hear a single negitive report on anything on this man from the special treatment his mooching illegal immigrant (arent they all) Aunt getting public assistance WHILE having an arrent warrant for deportation, then all of a sudden the corrupt nephew did his norm, paid off a judge to have a closed door meeting the voila, she is give political asylum; then we have drunkard illegal moocher #2 the Uncle, busted on DUI for almost hitting a cop after running a stop, arrested, throws out JOTUS name (JOKE OF THE UNITED STATES) and presto, no charges, no deportation and max public assistance, STILL, no story, I mean this man has done so many back room deals, yet is says to the camera’s aka the american people (and with a straight face no less) “I will have the most transparent administration in the history of the country”, Now, for most of us he was true, we see right thru him; other than that, instead he has been the most secretive, covert, decietful and treasonous president this country has ever seen and yet the media thinks he walks on water. I find it suprising the LaimstreamMedia still arent doing stories blaming GW Bush for all the current issues of the country.
  the media must love being BHO’s crotch monkey, Lol
  
  Report this comment
- Freedomlover_US
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 8:05pm
  TEXVET – what exactly has he done to “betray” the country? What has he done that is illegal? You may disagree with him but these hysterics make your side look absolutely ridiculous – and if you think that is not hurting your side in elections, you are sadly mistaken.
  
  Report this comment
- Proverbs17-12NLT
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:55pm
  obumma will actually count this tree planting as another shovel ready job he created or saved.
  
  Report this comment
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 11:08pm
  Wasn’t it a Muslim that said. The tree will say “there is a Jew behind me come kill him”
  Barry gave them a magical talking tree.
  
  Report this comment
shorelineliz
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:03pm
KREGNEVA
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:43pm
@Liz:
Well done. Actual satire, combines the ironies of Middle Eastern politics with and the Goy next door, with that great great great Cat-skillful timing worthy enough for the preservation of our Onion, (Meh! Bee!) Fantastic Shore-lines, BTW.

@KREG:
Have “The Onion” call me. I’m unemployed. I can do this type of stuff all day. And I do. Cheers.

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- Kregneva
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:15pm
  @SHORE
  
  I will need to Peel away at that Onion thing! Keep doing what you do AND keep the faith. You ahve shown the chutzpah of a true blue maven, here.
  
  Without being shmaltzy, well, the writing life, it’s a Mitzvah for you to pursue.
  
  Bei Mir bist du shayn, bubi.
  
  Report this comment
Walkabout
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:59pm
“Agriculture officials say the examination could take “months.””

Translation, if Israel is more upset with Obama & the Democrats than now, the tree will b e sent to the town garbage dump after people forget about it.

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- Freedomlover_US
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:06pm
  For all the amount of my taxpayer money going to those ingrates, my President, whether it’s Obama, Bush, or whoever, can plant anything they want in that country…
  
  Report this comment
P4cooler
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:56pm
Folks…Obama is a SLIME and the world is quickly finding this to be true.

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- bigbear_awake
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:03pm
  it might be to late to save US from the POS king
  thats a shovel ready job huh
  
  Report this comment
- bigbear_awake
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:07pm
  were his tasters there or didnt he eat there
  
  Report this comment
- Freedomlover_US
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:08pm
  For the amount of money we give this country – every US citizen should be able to plant whatever we want over there…
  
  BIGBEAR – every President has tasters – they work for the Secret Service, you moron… You probably believed Beck when he said Obama’s trip to India cost hundreds of millions of dollars too…
  
  Report this comment
qdllc
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:56pm
Shouldn’t they have sent several prospective plants on ahead to complete quarantine so the one planted could stay in the ground?

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- DEFCON4
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:31pm
  This Administration will never comprehend the concept of the 6 “P’s”.
  
  “Prior Planning Prevents P i s s-Poor Performance”.
  
  Report this comment
- ApplyLogic
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:16pm
  That was my first thought too. For supposedly being so brilliant, it seems like Obama & Co. can’t pull off a single publicity stunt if they can’t control every angle from the law enforcement to media coverage.
  
  Report this comment
perry1980
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:55pm
Thats the most work Barry has done his whole life.

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- Agnes
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:09pm
  The clown has never had a job in his entire life!
  
  Report this comment
- fb274
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:11pm
  Yep, wonder how much he intends to pay himself for this ‘shovel ready’ job. Some of the jobs from the stimulus equated to more than 100K/job.
  
  Report this comment
pap pap
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:51pm
Obama is all show and no go.

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Camptown Races
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:50pm
He was originally going to use a Ho during the ceremony….. but Michelle was busy……

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Gonzo
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:49pm
OK look at that picture. A Jewish guy standing there supervising his black gardener. I’m suffering form an overload of irony.

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- momrules
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:58pm
  Oh my Gonzo………..I laughed so hard and loud I startled myself!
  
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- gyro
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:24pm
  EeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeK
  
  Report this comment
TimPatriot
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:44pm
Are you telling me that the USDA (will Billions in budget) couldn’t have taken care of this prior to arrival? This is a SLAM on Obama– clear and simple. Of course if he gave me a tree…..I’d do the same ;)

Big Bonfire!!!

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- TimPatriot
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:51pm
  154 billion and we can’t provide a disease free tree to Israel?
  
  Report this comment
- whatthecrazy
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:51pm
  I bet he was fantasizing it was a big ole pot plant.
  
  Report this comment
- rickc34
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 11:43pm
  Tim Obama touched the tree.
  
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macpappy
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:43pm
There are just too many jokes I could make about this photo. None of which would be PC.

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- Kregneva
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:00pm
  The meshuginna headline says: NO JOKE, so your response is appropriately mensch-like. Too bad we don’t have some Morgen David so we could kvetch down mit a couple of “Borscht-Belts.” Nu?
  
  Report this comment
kindling
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:41pm
I wish we could dig Obama up and send him back to where ever he came from.

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- TimPatriot
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:45pm
  At least quarantine him for a couple of decades…..in Guantanamo ;)
  
  Report this comment
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:52pm
  Dig up the tree. Bury bozo in its place. Nothing would ever grow in that soil again.
  
  Report this comment
whatthecrazy
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:41pm
See? theres that shovel ready job he was talking about.Enjoy the show people it’s the one and only time we will ever see him actually working.

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TimPatriot
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:39pm
Does Magnolia make good bonfires?

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Really2012
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:38pm
Obama, What an idiot. Why didn’t he just arrange to purchase a tree there….. ????

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- Kregneva
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:46pm
  Oy! He was too “prudent in the pocket” to pay those exorbitant magnolia prices at the airport, you schlemiel!
  
  Report this comment
- ihasa
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:51pm
  Because it’s a direct descendant of one of the original magnolias planted at the Whitehouse. Is it just me, or are blaze commenters not actually reading the articles before they comment these days?
  
  Report this comment
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:37pm
Any chance they can quarantine Obama in the nut-house?

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- whatthecrazy
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:49pm
  They could but i think the nuts would crack.:)
  
  Report this comment
TimPatriot
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:37pm
I’d burn it– make sure you get rid of the dreaded disease: communsimus infectiness

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- Freedomlover_US
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:10pm
  Israel is full of communist communities – they’re called kibbutzim.
  
  Once again, bible bangers know nothing about the actual modern nation of Israel…
  
  Report this comment
huey6367
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:36pm
Planting that tree was the most physical work the POtuS has ever done.

But first the car. Then the tree. What next? (fill in your comments below)

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- crusaderx9
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:45pm
  gripping a brass rail at the bathhouse is probably more work then his awkward handling of that shovel…
  
  Report this comment
- subic
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:49pm
  I was talking to a retired school teacher lady the other day & she said she is surprised no one has taken a crack at Barry yet.
  
  Report this comment
RANGER1965
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:36pm
Ahhhhh…Magnolia, the one tree that most represents the Antebellum South.

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Gonzo
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:36pm
Did Vallerie Jarret have to coach Barry on which end of the shovel to grab?

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shorelineliz
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:33pm
And in other news:

A mysterious magnolia tree was anonymously gifted to the PLO in the Gaza Strip with a tag that read: “WE love you so much, Love Obama -POTUS.” The PLO threw the tree off a building causing the tree to commit tree suicide. While it lay dead on the dirt and rock strewn streets the town threw shoes at it. A suicide bomber blew herself up on top of the tree to make sure it was dead. The White House refused to make a comment on the incident from their spokesman Jay “Carnival Clown” Carney, cause he was still boozing it up with his trial lawyer “daddy” and VP JOE Biden and Georgetown bitches and hos, and instead, secretly told the White House Executive Chef to stop making the 666 hummus pies for the monument re erection ceremony In Bethlehem that had caused such a terrible ruckus earlier in the news day.

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- huey6367
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:38pm
  That makes the most sense I have ever seen on the Blaze. More sense than Gonzo (no offense Gonzo)
  
  Report this comment
- Kregneva
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:43pm
  @Liz:
  Well done. Actual satire, combines the ironies of Middle Eastern politics with and the Goy next door, with that great great great Cat-skillful timing worthy enough for the preservation of our Onion, (Meh! Bee!)
  Fantastic Shore-lines, BTW.
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:45pm
  I’m deeply offended Huey…nah.
  
  Report this comment
- shorelineliz
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:53pm
  in further news:
  
  Rioters in Bethlehem that had burned pictures of President Obama in protest of his visiting “their Muslim city” could not take pictures of the fallen suicidal tree nor the dead suicide bomber on top of the tree because their crappy Palestinian made cell phones still don’t have 3G communications technology.
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:59pm
  Liz, did the tree get it’s 72 virgin olive trees?
  
  Report this comment
- Kregneva
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:04pm
  Liz, my dear!
  
  With your cadence, Absolutely you could write for Hannity? No?
  
  Report this comment
- PAUL GULLO
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:35pm
  ————AP RADIO NEWSBREAK————-
  ———-BREAKING——-NEWS——————-
  This just in…. George W. Bush urinates on underage tree that committed suicide in Israel. He is reported to have said ” Who’s your daddy now tree” . Singer R. Kelly is reported to have endorsed the action.
  —————THIS IS AP NEWS————-
  
  Report this comment
crusaderx9
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:31pm
nothing is real but the failure/disaster obama leaves wherever he roams…

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JQCitizen
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:28pm
Ha! That is SO FUNNY; Because the first thing I thought about when I heard about the tree was; Did they check it for Pests?

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- Obama Snake Oil Co
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:32pm
  You mean those flies that land on Obamas (Satan) face?
  
  Report this comment
- shorelineliz
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:34pm
  I am sure the gift of Obama is not INDIGENOUS to Israel and therefore, had to be expelled, deported, run out of town on a rail, tarred and feathered, etc.
  
  Report this comment
revelation2012
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:26pm
We shall KNOW them by “THEIR” ‘fruits , , ,

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- subic
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:38pm
  I doubt they’ll re-plant it. I have friends in Isreal and they hate Barry. They know he is a closet muslim. Its all abig show
  
  Report this comment

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