Israeli media mocks “peace” agreement with UAE
As the controversial deal between Israel and the UAE is implemented, comedians find new fodder for comedic appeal.
In this file photo taken on August 31, 2020, the Emirati, Israeli and US flags are picture attached to an air-plane of Israel's El Al, adorned with the word "peace" in Arabic, English and Hebrew, upon it's arrival at the Abu Dhabi airport in the first-ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE.
An Israeli satirical show "Eretz Nehdert - Wonderful Country," has a new target in its sights: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a video posted online, the two leaders are seen sitting on an F35 flying across the desert, the theme-music of Aladdin “A Whole New World” playing behind them.
@Eretz_Nehederet mocks #UAE-#Israel deal, which in Israel is seen as an unpopular move by Netanyahu to distract from real internal problems amid #COVID19 - while Bibi is seen singing about how the deal makes money for Dubai, #MbZ is seen singing about his new plane pic.twitter.com/SnVELQfX0D
— Dr Andreas Krieg (@andreas_krieg) September 9, 2020
The episode, which depicts the two leaders as newly found lovers, takes aim at the controversial normalisation agreement signed between Israel and the UAE in August.
The episode mocked the "peace" which was brought about even though the two sides have never been in a state of war against each other, or fought. The lyrics sing out, "We say no more to the conflict...After years we have not fought each other...and finally we will bring calm to the residents of Dubai's cover."
One of the characters in the video impersonating Netanyahu sings "I am not like Begin (Menachem Begin, the former Israeli prime minister who signed the peace agreement with Egypt in 1979), and I have not given up anything."
ארזתם לבד? הערב אחרי החדשות ביבי ו-MBZ עוברים למצב טיסה pic.twitter.com/0EwHzvU73g
— ארץ נהדרת (@Eretz_Nehederet) September 8, 2020
The reference is in regards to the widely held belief that, while in the past Israeli leaders were expected to give up something in their negotiations with Arab states for recognition, that seems to no longer be the case.
The characters playing Netanyahu and Bin Zayed continue to mock the agreement by saying: "We have brought an end to wars and murders ... We will live together as friends ... a new peace, there will be no more blood ... the peace of the brave."
"New peace...new plane...just because of you."
References to a new plane, as the two leaders fly on an F35, is about a desire of the UAE leader MBZ to purchase cutting edge fighter jets from the US, a move that Israel is believed to be lobbying against.
Leading US democrats have also suggested that the sale of F35 planes to the UAE would endanger Israeli security.
Satirising the UAE leader MBZ can have severe consequences as a Jordanian cartoonist found out last month.
Emad al-Hajjaj was arrested in Jordan after the UAE pressured Amman. The cartoonist was charged with undermining relations between Jordan and the UAE and will be tried in a state security court run by the country’s intelligence service.
It’s not clear whether the UAE will lobby Israel to do the same thing.
Social: Israeli comedian mocks UAE-Israeli deal for achieving “peace” between two states that have never been to war
Social: The UAE pressured Jordan to arrest a cartoonist mocking MBZ. Will Israeli comedians be in the firing line now?
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