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To Bibi or not to Bibi

Prime minister makes much-hyped appearance alongside the actor who lampoons him on the Independence Day episode of ‘Eretz Nehederet’ satire show

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Mariano Edelman and his real-life counterpart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 'Eretz Nehederet' (Courtesy Facebook page)
Mariano Edelman and his real-life counterpart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 'Eretz Nehederet' (Courtesy Facebook page)

The prime minister appeared for real Tuesday night alongside the actor who lampoons him in a sketch for high-rating satiric comedy show “Eretz Nehederet” (A Wonderful Country) during the Independence Day episode. And he made a pretty effective Benjamin Netanyahu.

Dressed in a suit and royal blue tie, identical to his comic counterpart, Mariano Edelman — a detail the two noted to one another — the prime minister was all smiles and easy chatter as a complaining Edelman introduced Netanyahu to anchorman Eyal Kitzis as his “back-up,” since “you attack me week after week.”

Netanyahu walked on to the set to very warm applause for a 12-minute segment in which he was given a very easy time.

One of the biggest laughs in the taped appearance came when Kitzis congratulated Netanyahu on being elected for a third time, to which the prime minister responded first with the classic Israeli adage, “You know what they say by us, ‘Third time, ice cream’.” He and Edelman then pulled out a plastic stand holding two pistachio ice cream cones, poking fun at the recent uproar over Netanyahu’s annual ice cream budget of NIS 10,000, spent on his favorite pistachio and vanilla flavors at a Jerusalem ice cream parlor.

Later, Netanyahu and Kitzis discussed how the prime minister patched things up with Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “What, he just makes the phone call and that’s it?” asked Kitzis.

“Pretty much,” shrugged Netanyahu.

Kitzis asked about former TV news anchor Yair Lapid’s prospects as finance minister. (Lapid is repeatedly mocked on the show for his incessant use of Facebook to speak to the Israeli public.) “Will he succeed?” asked Kitzis.

“That’s too serious for TV,” shot back Netanyahu. “Let’s discuss it on Facebook.”

Netanyahu had earlier offered Kitzis a choice between the Treasury job and the post of education minister — “since you all go into politics in the end.”

The Netanyahus. Jackets off, and away we go (photo credit: Channel 2 screenshot)
The Netanyahus. Jackets off, and away we go (photo credit: Channel 2 screenshot)

In some of his more serious comments, Netanyahu indicated he looked forward to a fourth term as prime minister, saying that these elections had been “good,” but the next ones would be “even better.” He also said he was “afraid of a bi-national state” if Israel and the Palestinians could not reach an accommodation, but stressed that the two-state solution he backs has to ensure security for Israel.

With final comments about hoping to be remembered as the protector of Israel’s security, Netanyahu and Edelman-Netanyahu stood up, slung their jackets over their shoulders — a dig at Netanyahu who copied President Barack Obama’s jacket removal during the president’s arrival ceremony at Ben-Gurion airport last month — and walked off the set.

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