Over the moon Over the moon

Jokers skewer space minister Danon

Israeli internet users cast incoming cabinet member as a string of science fiction characters

Likud member Danny Danon (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) at the Likud party conference at the Airport City conference center, near Modi'in, on November 9, 2014 (Flash90)

Newly appointed Science, Technology, and Space Minister Danny Danon received a somewhat ignoble welcome after he announced his new job last Thursday.

Creative humorists wasted no time in producing a string of memes that spliced photos of Danon with famous science-fiction tropes, including creating a fake profile page for “Danny Danon: Minister of Space.”

“It is a great privilege for me to serve the citizens of the country as a member of the 34th government of Israel,” Danon wrote on his real Facebook page on May 14. “As the minister of science, technology, and space, I will make progress in the socioeconomic sphere in which our voters have obligated us.”

(screen capture: Facebook page of ‘Danny Danon: Minister of Space’)

Danon, who served as deputy defense minister in the previous government before he was ousted from that role by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was soon seen dressed as Spock from Star Trek…


… while another satirist was apparently more generous by depicting Danon as captain of the Enterprise…


… and another saw him as Darth Vader, the arch villain from Star Wars


… and even Luke Skywalker carrying Jedi master Yoda on his back.

Like many Israeli politicians nowadays, Danon is himself no stranger to using the Internet to poke fun at others. In the run-up to the March elections, he took a shot at MK Hanin Zoabi in a musical video clip he distributed.

The video, set to the tune of “Oh Susanna,” attempted to capitalize on dislike of the firebrand Arab parliamentarian with a chorus of “Oh Zoabi, start to cry, my dear / Because now Danny the real right-winger is here.”

In the video, Danon is seen locking Zoabi behind bars. Zoabi filed a complaint with the police against Danon over the video.

read more:
comments