The new season was completely rewritten after the massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, and shows the operatives in Marseilles, France, hunting down Hamas terrorists responsible for the deadly attack.

By Shiryn Ghermezian, The Algemeiner

The producers of the popular Israeli television series “Fauda” released a rare warning for viewers on Sunday about two upcoming episodes in the show’s fifth season that are based on the deadly Hamas-led terrorist attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli television provider Yes TV posted a message on Instagram about episodes 7 and 8, both of which will air Monday in Israel.

Yes TV said the episodes will focus on the Oct. 7 attack, and will contain content, sights, and sounds that “may be difficult to watch.”

“It’s important for us to say: These episodes return to that terrible day and stand on their own,” Yes TV added.

“If watching them is too difficult, it is also okay to skip them and reconnect with the season’s plot, which will continue in the episode airing next week.”

Season five of “Fauda” premiered on May 18 in Israel on Yes TV and will later launch on Netflix, where viewers around the world can currently watch the show’s first four seasons.

The award-winning action series about Israeli covert operatives was created by Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz, who plays lead actor Doron Kabilio in the show.

The new season was completely rewritten after the massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, and shows the operatives in Marseilles, France, hunting down Hamas terrorists responsible for the deadly attack.

Issacharoff wrote on social media that the show’s creators are prouder of this new season than the others because season five will share with the world details about the Oct. 7 atrocities.

“This isn’t just another season or script,” Issacharoff said. “A different season, one that touches on the massacre and the greatest disaster that the State of Israel has ever known, October 7. We are proud of this season perhaps more than its predecessors, because of its importance, the touch on the raw nerve, and the very fact that it will bring to every point in the world the story of all of our personal and national trauma.”

“Fauda” crew member Matan Meir, 38, was killed in action in November 2023 while fighting in the Gaza Strip as a reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and the partner of Issacharoff’s stepdaughter was also killed during the war.

One of the show’s cast members, singer and actor Idan Amedi, was injured in January 2024 while fighting in Gaza as an IDF reservist but has since recovered.

French actress Mélanie Laurent joins season five of “Fauda” in a leading role and stars alongside Raz, with whom she costarred in the 2019 Netflix title 6 “Underground.”

The post ‘Fauda’ issues warning for viewers: Episodes based on Oct. 7 Hamas attack ‘may be hard to watch’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Israeli hit series Fauda launched its fifth season with a storyline centered on the Oct. 7 massacre and the subsequent war, following undercover agents combating Islamic terrorism.

The post WATCH: Critically acclaimed Israeli TV show ‘Fauda’ premiers its fifth season appeared first on World Israel News.

He was injured in a January 2024 explosion in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, where six soldiers were killed.

By Sveta Listratov, TPS

Idan Amedi, star of the Netflix show “Fauda” and singer, slammed a recent petition signed by Israeli artists accusing Israel of “war crimes” in Gaza and calling for an end to the war.

“A bunch of detached people spreading lies and fake news,” Amedi wrote on Instagram in response to the petition, which was posted by Israeli journalist Raz Shechnik.

“In every apartment in Gaza, you’ll find propaganda materials full of Jew-hatred and antisemitism—from photos of ‘martyr’ terrorists to stickers reading ‘With blood and fire we will conquer Jerusalem.’ This is a group of privileged people who continue to amplify ignorance, stupidity, and falsehoods,” Amedi wrote.

Amedi, now 37, was serving in Gaza as a reservist in the Combat Engineering Corps. He was injured in a January 2024 explosion in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Six soldiers were killed.

He announced in February he would not reprise his role of undercover agent Sagi Tzur.

Amedi asserted on Instagram that no other army in the world operates under such extreme urban density while causing so little harm to civilians. “By the way, there’s proof of that. Go check the data,” he added.

“Try entering one tunnel. Fight for just one day like tens of thousands of reservist soldiers have—and only then sign letters like this. We’re sick of you. You’re pathetic,” he insisted.

The petition was signed by 19 artists and singers.

Despite the injury, Amedi, who is of Kurdish descent, has returned to the stage.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead.

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Amedi, 36, was wounded in January last year in an explosion in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, which killed six soldiers and injured several others.

By Sveta Listratov, TPS

Israeli actor and musician Idan Amedi will not reprise his role as undercover operative Sagi Tzur in the upcoming fifth season of Fauda.

Amedi, who was seriously injured while serving in Gaza and is undergoing a long rehabilitation process, informed the show’s producers that he would be unable to participate in the new season.

“The filming schedule conflicted with Amedi’s planned international tour, making it impossible for him to participate in the new season” explained a statement to The Press Service of Israel from the public relations office of Sari Israeli, which represents the actor-musician.

Amedi is scheduled to perform in Jerusalem on February 19, his birthday.

Amedi, 36, was wounded in January last year in an explosion in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, which killed six soldiers and injured several others. He was hospitalized for over two weeks at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan.

Despite the injury, he has announced a return to the stage, with performances scheduled to begin this month.

Upon his release from the hospital in January last year, when asked how his rehabilitation would impact the filming of Fauda, which was already known to be renewed for its fifth season, Amedi said, “The creators are already working to adapt the script to our current reality. I will be back in the series with God’s help next season.”

Now it is confirmed that the show’s creators will have to find a way to write out his character, Sagi Tzur, in the upcoming season.

Amedi, who joined Fauda in 2017, is also a well-known singer-songwriter. His debut song, “A Warrior’s Pain,” became one of Israel’s most iconic songs in 2010.

Last month, he released Superman, his first album since being wounded, which was met with great success. Over the years, he has released six albums, blending themes of military service, resilience, and Israeli identity.

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Tibon, who now serves in the military reserves, is a retired major general and was the senior commander of the Israeli paratroopers.

By Shiryn Ghermezian, The Algemeiner

Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz, the co-creators and writers of the popular Israeli television series Fauda, are scripting a new feature film titled October 7 that will tell the true story of Noam Tibon, who rescued his son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters from Hamas terrorists during the attack in southern Israel.

“When faced with the horrors of that fateful day, Noam Tibon immediately charged into danger to protect his family,” Raz and Issacharoff told Deadline.

“His gripping story – which transcends any religion, country, or conflict – beautifully reflects the sacrifices we are willing to make for those we love. We are proud to help amplify Noam’s bravery and to provide some hope and inspiration during these difficult times.”

Tibon, who now serves in the military reserves, is a retired major general and was the senior commander of the Israeli paratroopers. His son, Amir Tibon, lived in Kibbutz Nahal Oz with his wife and two young daughters.

Amir called his father when Hamas terrorists invaded the community, and Noam told his son to lock himself in the safe room with his family before he headed south from Tel Aviv to the kibbutz so he could confront the terrorists.

Noam joined the Maglan unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and helped neutralize terrorists before joining soldiers from the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade in fighting terrorists inside his son’s house.

He later went house to house with IDF soldiers and cleared the kibbutz of all terrorists. Noam and his wife, Gali, additionally rescued survivors of the massacre at the Supernova music festival and helped wounded Israeli soldiers.

The film, from Leviathan Productions, will be produced by Ben Cosgrove and executive produced by Jessica Kasmer-Jacobs and Talia Harris Ram. Noam and Amir will serve as consultants on the film.

Leviathan Productions specializes in developing content based on Jewish history, literature, and folk tales, as well as stories about Israel, according to Deadline. The independent production company was founded by Cosgrove and best-selling author Josh Foer.

Issacharoff and Raz are best known for co-creating Fauda, which began streaming on Netflix in 2015 and has already aired four seasons. The duo also created the series Ghosts of Beirut for Showtime and Hit & Run for Netflix.

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‘We found tunnels and weapons everywhere we went, in homes, school bags.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Idan Amedi, the singer and star of the Netflix series “Fauda” who is recovering from severe injuries he received while serving in Gaza said Israelis should continue to explain that Israel’s campaign against Hamas is a just war.

He said, “We found tunnels and weapons everywhere we went, in homes, school bags. It is important that the world knows this.”

Amedi was serving in the Combat Engineering Corps reserves in Gaza when an accidental explosion was set off, killing six soldiers and injuring Amedi and others.

Amedi said, “I was burned to the point that no one recognized me. Shrapnel pierced my neck and spine, and I am lucky that none of it hit any main blood vessels.”

He  added, “I also have broken bones, including fingers, but I know I will get back to playing guitar and hopefully, I will be able to be in ‘Fauda’ season five,” he said.

Amedi expressed the desire to continue to fight and gave a hopeful message of endurance.

“If God gives me strength, I will return to fight for my country,” he said.

“Israelis are the strongest in the world. United, we are undefeatable. It will take time but we will win this war, we have no other choice.”

Idan Amedi spent the initial days of his hospitalization in an intensive care unit, but made a quick recovery and is undergoing physical and psychological rehabilitation in an outpatient setting.

“I look forward to being able to pick my kids,” he said.

He mentioned that after seeing the conditions in Gaza and in the tunnels, the freeing of hostages should be the top priority.

“Israel has many tools and kinds of leverage to deal with the hostage issue. I think not everything has been done yet,” Amedi said.

As a commander, Amedi says he is pained that feels responsible for the fact that not all of his soldiers came home safely.

“This will stay with me my whole life. One day I will be able to talk about it,” he said.

“People tell me I am a hero and symbol, but I am just one of everyone. If there is one good thing that happened from my injuries, it is that I can be an ambassador for those who have also been injured,” Amedi said.

“It’s important to let them have space to express their pain, both physical and emotional. It will take a long time for them to heal, so please accept them with understanding,” he said.

The post Fauda star and wounded IDF soldier declares, ‘The world must know this is a just war’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Amedi unconscious for several days with shrapnel in his eye sockets, jaw, and neck.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli actor and musician Idan Amedi, best known for starring in the hit Netflix show ‘Fauda,’ will be released from the hospital on Tuesday, according to a statement issued on his behalf on Monday. Amedi was seriously injured while fighting in Gaza two weeks ago.

While serving in a reserve combat engineering unit in Gaza two weeks ago, an explosion left the 35-year-old Amedi unconscious for several days with shrapnel in his eye sockets, jaw and neck.

Amedi will hold a press conference at Tel Aviv’s Sheba Medical where he will answer questions for the first time about his reserve duty, the injury and rehabilitation, and future plans. He is expected to begin home rehabilitation.

Amedi is best known for playing agent Sagi Tzur in “Fauda,” a Netflix drama about an elite undercover team trying to track down a notorious Palestinian terrorist. Amedi joined the cast in 2017.

Amedi, who is of Kurdish descent, is a popular singer and has recorded five albums since 2011. His most popular song, “A Warrior’s Pain,” about the post-traumatic experiences of a soldier returning from war, was one of Israel’s most popular songs in 2010.

He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and two children.

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Washington Wizards forward shows off Hebrew message to wounded Fauda actor.

Susan Tawil, World Israel News

An NBA star offered his support to an Israeli actor and IDF reservist wounded in the line of duty in Gaza, penning a Hebrew prayer for his recovery.

Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija is the only Israeli player in the NBA (National Basketball Association). The 6’9” A-Grade player, in the top 40 for field goals, was #9 in the 2020 draft. Nicknamed “Turbo,” the 23-year old writes messages in Hebrew on his basketball shoes in support of Israel.

This Monday he sent get well wishes, handwritten on his game shoes, to TV’s Fauda star Idan Amedi, who was wounded that day while on IDF reserve duty in Gaza.

On Yom HaShoa (Holocaust Remembrance Day) in 2021, Avdija’s shoes carried the message: “Yizkor” (Remember). He has previously drawn Stars of David on his shoes, and the slogan: “Am Yisrael Chai” (the Nation of Israel Lives).

“My heart is with Israel,” Avdija says. On Monday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Avdija wrote (in Hebrew) on the midsole of his orange Nikes: “For the recovery of Idan, son of Tova, Amedi” (traditional Jewish prayers for healing always include the ailing person’s mother’s name).

Deni Avdija’s shoe. (Instagram)

Idan Amedi, 35, is a popular Israeli singer and actor.

He is best known for his role as Sago Tzur in the Netflix TV series Fauda, an action drama about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As a songwriter, he has five albums to his credit, and has millions of views on YouTube. Most of his songs, such as his 2010 hit, “A Warrior’s Pain,” reflect his experiences in the Israeli military.

After the brutal October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israeli villages that triggered the current Israeli retaliatory war, Amedi donned his IDF uniform and joined the 320,000 reservists in the fight to eliminate terrorism against Israel.

Although he plays an IDF soldier operating in Gaza in the Fauda TV series, in a video Amedi posted on X (Twitter) shortly after his call-up, he tells viewers: “This isn’t a scene from Fauda, this is real life!”

Idan Amedi is now serving in the IDF Combat Engineering Corps, destroying terror tunnels, missile sites, and Hamas command facilities in the Gaza Strip. About the tunnels, he tweeted: “It’s crazy, crazy what they built here!”

On January 8, he was seriously wounded by an explosion in Gaza. He was airlifted to Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer, and underwent serious major surgery. He is now in moderate condition, and doctors are optimistic that he will survive.

Previous to Amedi’s injury, he posted a video in which he asserted: “We fully comprehend why we are here. We are here to protect our children, our families, and our homes. And I promise you that we won’t surrender until we win.” Refuah Shelayma, Idan ben Tova (Complete healing, Idan son of Tova)!

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National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir boots Hisham Suliman from anti-drug conference for Arab towns over 2015 comments endorsing attacks on IDF soldiers.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s National Security Minister dropped an Israeli-Arab actor, known from the popular Fauda series, from an anti-drug event for Arab towns.

Hisham Suliman, whose credits include the Steven Spielberg film Munich and twelve episodes of the television series Fauda, had been scheduled to join a conference in the Galilee of Israeli-Arab municipalities which was organized by the Israel National Authority for Community Safety.

On Tuesday, however, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) disinvited Suliman from the event, citing the actor’s comments in 2015, in which he justified terrorist attacks on Israeli security personnel.

The Israel National Authority for Community Safety is a part of the National Security Ministry, and thus under Ben-Gvir’s authority as minister.

During an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth eight years ago, Suliman claimed Palestinian Arabs “have the right to fight against the occupation.”

While Suliman decried attacks on Israeli civilians, he endorsed attacks on IDF soldiers and other security personnel as legitimate.

“I don’t accept their way and don’t see it as heroism, but they have the right to fight.”

“I seek peace and do not justify harming civilians. But a soldier who is in the West Bank and someone attacks him — I don’t think it is terrorism.”

“If he is in the West Bank and fights the Palestinians and abuses them, he implements the occupation. He shouldn’t be there.”

Ben-Gvir castigated Suliman for his comments, saying in a statement Tuesday that such a person will not be permitted to speak at a state-sponsored event, “not on my watch.”

“Whoever gives legitimacy to harming IDF soldiers and is not loyal to the State of Israel absolutely cannot receive payment from the State of Israel and perform at National Security Ministry events.”

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Gaza-based terror group Hamas, is reportedly developing its own low budget TV show in response to the wildly popular Fauda series.

By World Israel News Staff

Millions of fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the fourth season of Israeli drama Fauda, which focuses on an undercover IDF counterterrorism unit. Now, Hamas, the fictional series’ real-life terror organization, is planning to shoot a low-budget copy-cat version of their own.

Gaza-based terror group Hamas, whose operatives are often the villains in Fauda, is reportedly developing its own low budget TV series in response to the wildly popular show.

Qabdat al-Ahrar (Fist of the Free) will focus on the “Palestinian point of view” and “the spirit of our resistance,” the show’s director, Mohammed Soraya, told AFP.

The show’s protagonists are Hamas operatives, and unlike Fauda, which features actors from Israel’s Arab community, the cast is entirely Gazan.

In another major departure from Fauda’s format, all characters in the series will speak Arabic – including Jews. Characters in Fauda speak both Arabic and Hebrew.

Due to a ruling from local Islamic clerics, even Jewish female characters on the show will wear hijabs at all times.

The series, which is being produced on a shoestring budget, is expected to be completed in time for Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

During recent years, watching movies and TV shows in the evening after breaking the Ramadan fast has become a tradition, and Ramadan is widely considered “prime time” for Arab entertainment programs and films to debut.

Gazan actor Jawad Harouda, who plays the head of the Israeli Shin Bet security organization in the show, said that some people in Gaza have a difficult time separating fiction from reality.

“Women look at me [in public] and pray that I die,” he said.

But Harouda is unfazed by the death threats, instead believing them to be a testament to his acting ability.

“I’m happy when people insult me. It means I’ve succeeded … The actor is a chameleon, he must be able to act out all colors.”

Kamila Fadel, a Gazan actress who played a Jewish woman in a previous TV show, echoed Harouda’s sentiments to AFP.

“After the series was broadcast, a woman tried to strangle me,” she said.

“She told me: ‘I hate you, you are hurting us so much’. On another day a 13-year-old boy threw a stone at my head thinking I was Jewish… This means I played my part well.”

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Fauda’s weapons expert said he believed Baldwin may be the victim of a conspiracy, not professional negligence.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Basic safety rules on the set of the Alec Baldwin film Rust were not followed by the cast and crew, and the lack of adherence to the guidelines goes beyond simple carelessness to borderline criminal negligence, two Israeli weapons experts say.

And although Baldwin called the event a “one in a trillion” freak accident, some say that the miniscule chances of such an occurrence happening point to more nefarious causes beyond professional irresponsibility.

Yair Merton, the driving force behind the firearms training for the Israeli thriller Fauda, said that he found the Baldwin incident puzzling and disturbing.

“When I heard about this, knowing what I know, not just from Israel but about how the world [entertainment] industry works, my gut feeling is that it’s a conspiracy, that someone planted the [gun with live bullets] in order to do damage. It’s just insane,” Merton told Ynet.

“So many things happened here…you only bring cold weapons and not live weapons [to set], you assign someone whose job it is to supervise the weapons and make sure they’re never tampered with, you insert a prosthesis into the gun which blocks a bullet from being fired, should there be a live bullet in the gun for some reason…

“You check the gun 20,000 times before the actor arrives on set and picks up the gun, and you check again…check after check after check…and there is an ironclad rule that no matter [what], you never aim the weapon at anyone.”

Merton called for an independent investigation into the incident, saying that he believed it may have been an act of sabotage and that someone could have intentionally given Baldwin a gun with live bullets, knowing that it would result in a deadly accident.

Aaron Cohen, who served in the IDF’s elite Duvdevan counterterrorism unit and now provides firearm training for A-list actors including Keanu Reeves and Michael Fassbender, said that he was baffled by the mistakes made on set which led to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins being fatally shot by Baldwin.

“When I work with actors, I go over safety issues with them for an hour,” Cohen told Yediot Aharonot. “I explain to them how to check the gun, how to make sure there are no bullets in the barrel, warn them not to aim the gun at anyone.”

“Even after the actor gets the weapon in his hands, he must not aim the gun at anyone. If the scene requires directing the gun towards the camera, then the photographer and the director and everyone who is there should move away from the range of fire.

Cohen said he was “very surprised” by the errors made on set, as the “safety standard in operating weapons in filming movies is very high” and live bullets are forbidden from being brought to the set.

“Rumor has it that people on the production team of Rust brought live bullets in violation of the ban and went out to the range in the area for fun,” he added.

“It is possible that this is how a live bullet made its way into the gun and whoever was supposed to check it did not do so, and that is total negligence.”

The post Israeli weapons experts on Baldwin set shooting: ‘Possible sabotage, very surprising’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Watch the video below to see what you may have missed this week but shouldn’t have!

The post UNDER THE RADAR: What You May Have Missed This Week but Shouldn’t Have appeared first on World Israel News.

It’s not clear what the purpose of these tweets were or whether the ICRC criticizes other TV shows.

By Joseph Wolkin, World Israel News

In a bizarre series of tweets on Sunday, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel & OT (occupied territories) criticized the fictional Israeli series Fauda for containing fictional violations of humanitarian law.

The popular Netflix series focuses on an undercover Israeli army unit combating terrorists in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip.

“Like many of you, this year we’ve also watched @FaudaOfficial and noted a number of violations of #IHL,” the ICRC in Israel & OT tweeted.

Like many of you, this year we’ve also watched @FaudaOfficial and noted a number of violations of #IHL.

Check out this Twitter thread and tell us if you see more!

— ICRC in Israel & OT (@ICRC_ilot) December 27, 2020

The ICRC criticizes the show on a number of counts. Noting episode number and fictional violation, the ICRC tweeted, “Taking hostages is illegal in any circumstances, and specifically prohibited by #IHL.” In another tweet it said, “Building a military base in the premises of a hospital is not allowed by #IHL as it puts civilians and wounded fighters at risk.”

And in a third it tweeted, “Using an ambulance for covert activities and impersonating health care workers and misusing the emblem are serious violations of IHL.”

It’s not clear what the purpose of these tweets were or whether the ICRC criticizes other TV shows, given that it would be hard to find Fauda-type dramas that don’t contain violations of humanitarian law.

One of the creators of Fauda, Avi Issachoroff, responded to the tweets. He clearly didn’t take them very seriously, tweeting “We shall consider all this in season 4 and promise to try to come with new original violations.”

We shall consider all this in season 4 and promise to try to come with new original violations

— avi issacharoff (@issacharoff) December 27, 2020

While it bills itself as ICRC in Israel & OT, its Twitter thread suggests the organization is almost exclusively focused on helping Palestinians.

The Red Cross as a whole has a dark history where Jews are concerned, most notoriously for its lack of action during the Holocaust.

On Jan. 2020, the ICRC’s website to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz says, “For the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), it also marks a failure, the failure to help and protect the millions of people who were exterminated in the death camps. The ICRC has publicly expressed its regret regarding its impotence and the mistakes it made in dealing with Nazi persecution and genocide.”

However, its failure then has made it no friendlier to the Jewish State. For more than 50 years, until 2006, the ICRC refused to recognize Israel’s version of the Red Cross, the Magen David Adom, because of its Star of David, even while it recognized the Muslim countries’ Red Crescent.

The ICRC also considers Judea and Samaria occupied territories, as well as the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip. Israel has not controlled the Gaza Strip since 2005 and it annexed the Golan Heights in 1981.

The ICRC allowed two senior Hamas terrorists to hide out in their facilities in eastern Jerusalem for 18 months before they were arrested by Israeli police in 2012. The two were involved in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, ironic given the ICRC’s Fauda tweet about “taking hostages.”

Indeed, the three violations of humanitarian law the ICRC in Israel & OT called out on Twitter have been committed by the Palestinians many times over.

The post STRANGE: Red Cross blasts Israeli ‘violations’ in fictional TV series Fauda appeared first on World Israel News.

From the makers of Israeli blockbuster series “Fauda” comes “Tehran,” a thriller featuring Israeli spies working to the derail Islamic Republic’s pursuit of a nuclear bomb.

The post WATCH: High-octane Israeli series ‘Tehran’ gives ‘Fauda’ a run for its money appeared first on World Israel News.

The Israeli action series “Fauda” has taken the world by storm and its upcoming third season has a number of high-octane surprises in store for viewers.

The post WATCH: Israeli hit show ‘Fauda’ to unleash explosive new season appeared first on World Israel News.

The obstacle to peace remains Palestinian ideology, not how many settlers can be evicted from their homes.

By: Jonathan S. Tobin, JNS.org

In the international hit Israeli TV series “Fauda,” the head of the Palestinian Authority security service is a fictional character named Abu Maher. Played by Qader Harini, an Arab actor from eastern Jerusalem, Abu Maher is reconciled to peace and coexistence, and therefore willing to cooperate with the Israelis to combat Islamist terror.

In an episode of the show’s second season (this is not a spoiler for the main plot line, so you can keep reading even if you haven’t watched the series), Abu Maher takes his son—a student who sympathizes with Hamas—to lunch on the Jaffa beach inside Israel. He tells the youngster to look at the skyscrapers of neighboring Tel Aviv. Those mighty buildings and the industry, creativity, power and wealth they represent, he says, show the permanence of Israel. The Jews are interested in life rather than death, and since they can’t be defeated, Abu Maher believes that the Palestinians must choose peace.

I’m sure I’m far from the only audience member who saw that scene and pondered what life would be like if the actual head of the P.A. was someone like the fictional Abu Maher, instead of Mahmoud Abbas or the other real-life Fatah functionaries who are still fixated on the century-old war against Zionism (in which they have yet to admit defeat). With such a person leading the Palestinians, a two-state solution might indeed be possible.

Evicting ‘only’ 9,800 families?

I thought of that episode when I read a recent controversial article in Ha’aretz by Ori Mark arguing that it wasn’t too late for two states.

Though its statistics were questionable, it made the case that is still possible to draw a border between a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) that would leave most Jewish settlements inside Israel. His map would leave about 46,000 Jews in isolated communities that would need to be evacuated in order to implement the scheme. To make it sound less daunting, Mark calculated that meant evicting only 9,800 families.

Put that way, the idea sounds vaguely doable, even if the memory of the traumatic evacuation of far fewer Jews from their homes in Gaza in 2005 is still fresh in the minds of Israelis.

The proposal set off a debate with some of Mark’s fellow leftists lamenting that the large numbers of settlers and the political strength of their supporters makes the notion of throwing that many Jews out of their homes unimaginable. Similarly, some on the right were just as dismissive of the proposal since they believe that the two-state solution is already a dead letter, and that the movement to establish Israeli sovereignty over the territories is headed towards inevitable victory.

But the problem with the arguments of Mark and his critics is that—like so much of the debate about potential borders that has raged in the last 25 years since the Oslo Accords—they both largely ignore the main obstacle to peace: the Palestinians.

An unrealistic scenario

The Haaretz piece was right about two things.

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