Spanking Omri

(Hat tip: Mommy)

Combine Saturday Night Live with The Daily Show, stick it in Israel, and think of how involved every single Israeli is in politics, and what do you get?

This:

To the thumping beat of "Stayin' Alive," a super-size version of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appears sporty in a blue jogging suit and sweatband, with no aftereffects from his recent stroke. He raises his arms in Rocky-style triumph and jogs into the studio of Israel's hit spoof news show, "A Wonderful Country."

In a recent episode, Mr. Sharon is shown with an equally portly Omri bent over his knee. The prime minister repeatedly spanks him, blaming him not only for the recent corruption scandal but also for everything controversial in his own career, including his role two decades ago in leading Israel into war in Lebanon.

Heh - sounds hilarious. Read more here.

It's such a hit in Israel (1 million viewers in a country of 6 million - on a Friday night, when another 600,000 can't even watch), the Palestinians have taken note.

Zakariya Zubeidi, a Palestinian militant leader who was, until recently, on Israel's most-wanted list, told the Israeli newspaper Maariv last February that the show made him laugh.

"I hear they want to make me into a character; if they do I will end the cease-fire," he said, jokingly referring to an agreement by Palestinian militant groups at the time to suspend attacks on Israelis.

If only that's all it took.

Technorati tags: Israeli, Politics, TV, Sharon.