Gadot stars in satirical election special

Israeli voters faced an uncertain election result on Tuesday night, prompting a two-part satirical special on Channel 12. The program Eretz Nehederet aired the first half before polls closed and the second after exit polls indicated a deadlocked result. Neither side secured a clear victory, leaving the government formation process unresolved.

Hollywood actor Gal Gadot appeared as a guest in the first segment. She joined the regular cast in a sketch featuring Asher, a cab driver character played by Yuval Semo. The scene depicted Asher picking up passengers from among more than 70,000 Israelis who returned from abroad to vote. Gadot climbed into the vehicle, surprising the driver.

Gadot had posted an Instagram story earlier that day confirming she voted for an opposition party without naming it. In the sketch, Asher asked if she returned to vote or to participate in the show The Masked Singer. Gadot replied that she came to vote. She noted she had lived abroad for nearly 12 years. When Asher tried to announce her choice over a megaphone, the party name was bleeped out.

The actor discussed the challenges of being Israeli and Jewish in Hollywood during a period of rising antisemitism. She stated that she often wore a mask when going out and tried to give Americans context. Gadot said the family was building a house in Israel. She planned to return with her husband and four daughters, three of whom were born in the United States. The sketch concluded with Gadot taking the wheel of the cab, referencing her role in the Fast and Furious franchise.

Other sketches in the first half portrayed political rivals as professional wrestlers. Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, wielded a sawed-off shotgun. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a gold suitcase of cash, referencing Qatari money approved for transfer to Hamas. Another segment mocked an AI image Netanyahu released showing Tel Aviv destroyed by an Iranian nuclear bomb. The show also depicted Naftali Bennett missing his chance to vote during a visit to a discussion group of older citizens.

The second part of the broadcast addressed the inconclusive results. Writers cast Eisenkot, Bennett, and Avigdor Liberman as game show contestants attempting to reverse promises not to ally with Arab or ultra-Orthodox parties. Members of the People of Israel Party appeared upset about missing the Knesset threshold. Yoseph Haddad noted that he seemed to be the only Arab not elected, contrasting with the strong performance of other Arab parties. Former prime ministers Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Ariel Sharon appeared in a sketch reacting to AI commercials.

Host Eyal Kitzis ended the second broadcast with a change from tradition. Instead of his usual line about Israel being a wonderful country, he handed the show directly to Channel 12 news anchor Yonit Levi. The transition marked the end of the special as the network moved to cover the developing political situation.