Fauda

I'm amazed at how the Israelis can make such high level series like this, dealing with such intense subjects relating to dealing with the Palestinians, but still manage to be fairly even-handed and treat both sides sympathetically - even terrorists. I think it's this that makes Fauda so good. Yes, you're on the side of the Israeli team - sort of their undercover SAS squad dealing with Palestinian terrorists - but you also see the other side's viewpoint. Fauda is violent and action-packed, but all the characters, on both sides, have depth and believability. Watched all three series in a couple of weeks. Well worth the time.

Kudos to other reviewers who intimately understand the Palestine/Israel conflict. Their reviews are in-depth and broadly cover the topic.

Allow me to present the perspective of someone who knew little more than the fact two countries are battling over land. One heavily represented in the media as an ally of the Free World, the other portrayed as a nation of extremists and terrorists. And this from the occasional media I watch and hear in Australia (another allied nation).

So here's the kicker: Fauda, an Israeli series depicting the very conflict I've just mentioned, manages to infuse its tale with humanity, love, family and friendship. And it does so on both sides of the fence. Two clear enemies, major stakeholders in the war they wage, are shown with objectivity and fairness. Both men are flawed, both men are biased and heavily indoctrinated in their cause. Yet both have wives and kids they adore, and both men wage their war in the hopes of creating a better future for their families.

That being said, war is ugly and the price paid is often high. Fauda does not stray from this reality and the ripple effect is ever-present, slicing its way through the lives of those embroiled in the fight; some guilty, some innocent.

Woven through these fundamental connections are the various political and military involvements. Watching the puppet masters at work is both interesting and disturbing. Nothing is ever straightforward and Fauda is no exception. There's always someone watching or listening and there's always someone a step ahead of you.

In essence, Fauda is wonderfully acted, riveting, fast-paced and even educational. It is a superior series and deserving of the praise it has received. I truly look forward to Season 2.

I have never lived in the West Bank, and thus cannot speak to whether the script is as severely biased as some claim. What I do know is that among those who voice this particular criticism, there does appear to be roughly the same number of people who think it is demonizing the Palestinians as there are those thinking it's the Israelis that are getting the unfair treatment.

Why I don't believe it is possible to ever be completely unbiased, I do not get the sense that the show is trying to convince me one way or the other. This tale of ruthless killing and unending retribution does not, in my opinion, make any attempt at justification. I believe it a story, not primarily about the common Palestinian or Israeli, but about the combatants on both sides.

However, I can see how a passionate supporter of either side might find this show a bit unpalatable. Those who simply want their convictions justified can probably find something more to their liking elsewhere. Propaganda is easy to come by these days. The rest of us can enjoy this well made fiction, listen to the beautiful semitic languages and be captivated by the awesome culture and piety of these ancient civilizations.

I pray for lasting peace among all the seed of Abraham.

This Israeli series is centred on a counter-terrorist squad working to stop Hamas terrorists operating in the West Bank. This involves them frequently going undercover into situations where they must pass as Palestinian; the slightest mistake will put them in grave danger. In the opening episode we are introduced to Doron Kavillio, a retired member of the team who is asked to help when a terrorist leader who was thought dead re-emerges. Soon he is back in this deadly world. Their first operation goes wrong; the target is wounded but escapes and his innocent brother is killed. This leads to tensions rising and revenge attacks. While this storyline is wrapped up in the first season a new terrorist leader emerges in the second so it is effectively a continuation of the same story. The third season sees operations against another terrorist which leads to the kidnapping of two young Israelis. They are taken to the Gaza Strip... a location far more dangerous than the West Bank.

I really enjoyed this series; I can't comment on its actual authenticity but it certainly felt real. We observe characters on both sides of the divide and while it is clear that Doron and his team are the 'good guys' there are plenty of sympathetic Palestinian characters, and the Israeli's actions aren't always what one would call moral. There is plenty of tension in every episode and early on it becomes clear that just because somebody is set up as a main character doesn't mean they can't get killed. The cast does an impressive job bringing their characters to life although as I relied on subtitles I can't comment on the quality of accents or Arabic spoken by the team... something that would need to be near perfect in reality. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the series in Hebrew/Arabic with English subtitles.

I am American. I am biased.

With that out of the way, I wanted to... no, felt that I HAD to write a review about Fauda. Being completely honest with myself, I can't review this show based on "realism" or the whether the portrayal of ideological differences are genuine or not; I'm not exposed to that on a daily basis like those in the Middle East are. What I can review is how this show changed my mind and opinion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it made me feel.

I went into this viewing with a prideful appreciation of Israel (I still have one) and expected to see an action-packed thriller about undercover operations. You do get that, don't get me wrong, but that's not the point of the show. What you get from this show is a very poignant lesson about the physical, emotional, spiritual, and ideological toll that is felt in the battle that this show is portraying. You get the sense that what you are viewing is real. The writers do a masterful job of convincing you to sympathize with even the most unwavering of Hamas supporters and warriors and with the Israelis tasked with hunting them down. You get a front row seat to the endless killing that is carried out by both sides for reasons that are not even clear to the triggermen. "An eye for an eye", to what end? There is no Hollywood romance sideplots, no flashy explosions or high speed car chases through oncoming traffic, only death and despair.

This show has been incredibly difficult for me to describe to my friends and family, and I can only tell them what it's about and why I believe it's not a biased depiction of the real war going on. But I can't describe how you feel watching this show. It's profound and eye opening. All I know is that we're all human, we all mourn the same way.