Israel: The Unification of Right-Wing Parties Gives Birth to Bibirman

Israelis took to Facebook and Twitter to react to the announcement that the two largest right-wing parties in Israel will run on a joint ballot in the upcoming January 2013 elections. The parties, Likud, headed by Prime Minister Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu, and Yisrael Beyetenu headed by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, are projected to form the next Israeli government, as all polls show that the right-wing blog will once against be dominant one in the Knesset. The platform of Yisrael Beyetenu is more right-wing than that of the Likud, and includes the call for exchanging territories between Israel and the future Palestinian state, so that Arab citizens of Israel will be forcibly deprived of Israeli citizenship and become Palestinian citizens.

Yoni Barak created this image of the union:

Bibirman: Yoni Barak's image of the union, shared on Facebook

The liberal social-democratic party Meretz tweeted:

ראש הממשלה נעתר לביברמניות והסכים להביא את ביברמן לישראל.

@MeretzParty: The Prime Minister has answered the calls of the BieberManiacs and brought Bibirman to Israel

Many reacted to the news with jokes about impending doom.

Referring to Lieberman's international unpopularity due to his extreme right-wing stance, meme artist Amir Schiby created this:

Prepare for the coming of the sanctions

Meme artist and internet humorist Avgad Yav'or created this image based on the iconic movie Thelma and Louise:

Lieberman: “Shall we go for this?”. Netanyahu: “Come on”

Leftist meme artist Amir Schiby also created this image, referring to the fact that Yisrael Beytenu is a highly centralized party, in which all major decisions are made by Lieberman himself. The party does not hold primaries and its list of contenders for the elections is determined by Lieberman as well.

Netanyahu: “… and on November 25 the primaries are held”
Lieberman: “Primaries? What is that?”

Lieberman, an immigrant from Moldova, is often compared by Israelis to Putin, also due to Lieberman's undemocratic views, which match those of Russia's authoritarian leader. Amir Schiby created this image