MovieChat Forums > Fauda (2015) Discussion > isrealies pretending to be Palestinians?

isrealies pretending to be Palestinians?

posted 7 years ago by soclean
8 replies | jump to latest

I've never been to Isreal or Palestine so I'm a bit confused here. Are they supposed to look the same physically? How are the anti-terror agents doing this without being noticed?

[–] robertsjason55 7 years ago

Israeli Jews with middle eastern roots (as opposed to European) can look very similar to Arabs and vice versa. Genetically and ethnically they are very similar. Before the formation of Israel many Jewish communities were throughout the Ottoman Empire and lived among Arab and Kurdish communities for centuries. This similarity makes infiltration between Israel and The Territories easier for both sides and security that much more complex.

[–] jimmybern 7 years ago

I wondered the same, especially with the female member of the unit. She looks thoroughly Jewish to me and especially in the early scene of her at the West Bank swimming pool, her body type is that I associate particularly with Ashkenazi Jews.

[–] Helena727 7 years ago

her body type is that I associate particularly with Ashkenazi Jews.

I grew up in -- and 3 years ago moved back to -- a part of the US with a very large Ahskenazi Jewish population, and I see such a variety of faces and bodies that I think one can't speak of an "Ashkenazi" body type. There's been too much genetic intermingling over many centuries across a very broad swath of Eastern Europe.

For ex., I know Jewish families in which almost all the men are 5'8" or shorter, and I know Jewish families in which almost all the men are 5'11" - 6'1" -- the stereotype is that Askenazi Jewish men are short, but that's not true enough to be a given.

"All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people."

[–] jimmybern 7 years ago

I disagree--while it's not black or white, I think there are certain patterns and prevalences. E.g., I think most people can quickly spot the difference between someone who's genetic heritage is West African vs. East African--they're just very different physical.
And there's an askenazi type of highly ectomorph which seems pretty rare in other ethnic groups. Female operative has that type (and I've never seen an Arab who looks like her).

[–] Pacheco_Waffleiron 7 years ago

Umm, Jews and Arabs are both semites, they are both descended from Abraham

[–] FeeCJ (121) 4 years ago

This team in the show that was created by Lior Raz has at one of its basic requirements to be able to blend into Palestinian and Arab neighborhoods as part of their counter terror missions. Lior was on such a team in real life, so he knows what he's writing about. What makes them valuable is that all the team members can "pass" in appearance, Arab accent, idioms, and behaviors and even dress when necessary in order to work under cover.

In the show we see them in their van or other vehicles going to Palestinian neighborhoods and immediately speaking Arabic, etc.

They are chameleons which is part of their job in the show.

[–] exatera (3942) 4 years ago

I for one didn't think that Doron could pass for an Arab. I thought it was risky AF to send him right into the wedding in the first ep.

Btw, I guessed right away that the actress playing Amal is actually Jewish.

[–] BenGhazi (4) 4 years ago

I have a couple of questions. First, do the Arab actors in this series live in Israel or in Palestine and if they do live in Palestine, do they face any backlash? I mean it's a job and I think they are really, really good actors but I was wondering if there's any backlash for playing in this series?

Second question: I get that Doron and the other people in his outfit speak Arabic. But is there such a thing as an Israeli accent? Is their Arabic flawless or could someone figure that they are imposters because they have an accent or they use archaic words or anything like that?