Israeli Military Official Faces Blackface Backlash

Sacha Dratwa, one of the Israel military's most visible spokesman, is mired in a firestorm of controversy amid a photo he posted to his personal Facebook page. The image, captioned "Obama style", shows Dratwa's face smeared with mud from the Dead Sea, a popular activity for many in Israel.

While the photo was posted in September, Dratwa just recently restricted access to his once public Facebook account due to the public backlash and accusations of racism. According to ABC News, Dratwa is originally Belgian and heads the Israeli Defense Forces new media desk, which is active in engaging Israel's supporters and critics on social media.

On Sunday, Dratwa responded:

I am, and have always been, completely candid about my beliefs and have nothing to hide. The aforementioned photos do not reflect my beliefs and have no bearing whatsoever on my position in the IDF.

So what do you think? Innocent fun or blatant racism? Leave your thoughts below.