Netanyahu reacts with humor to Web phenomenon ridiculing him

Instead of being insulted by placement of his image from Shalit reunion on historic photos, prime minister decides: 'If you can't beat'em, join'em'

Itamar Eichner|Published: 10.28.11 , 09:45

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was repeatedly ridiculed on the Internet over the past week for positioning himself in the frame of the image documenting Noam Shalit reuniting for the first time with his son Gilad Shalit at the Tel Nof airbase.

Instead of being insulted, Netanyahu decided to respond based on the slogan: 'If you can't beat'em, join'em'.

Last Tuesday, when Shalit returned home after more than five years in Hamas captivity, a photo taken by the Government Press Office was distributed in Israel and overseas. In the photo, Netanyahu is seen smiling in the background as father and son embrace.

Original image with Netanyahu smiling in background (Photo: GPO)

Within hours, dozens of amusing images began to surface on the internet in which Netanyahu's smiling image was planted in the background of famous pictures.

Netanyahu among liberators of Jerusalem at the Western Wall in 1967

Animated Netanyahu and the Simpsons

Netanyahu and ET

Shalit looks, Netanyahu hugs

On Wednesday, Netanyahu reacted with quite a bit of humor to this latest web phenomenon. A 'photoshoped' image was uploaded to the prime minister's official facebook page, with the same smiling Netanyahu posted on a photo of the prime minister's recent UN address in which he used the Hebrew slang term 'dugri' (frankly).

A bubble from Netanyahu's mouth says: 'Dugri, you made me laugh'.

Photo uploaded by Netanyahu: 'Dugri (frankly), you made me laugh'

The prime minister told his staff that he was very much amused by the photos that had been uploaded to the web. When one of his aides said that they were flooding the internet, Netanyahu replied, "So let's do one too." And that they did.