• About Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Where to find us
  • Archive
    • Jewish News
    • Magazines
  • Subscribe
11 of the best Israeli spy shows to watch on Netflix!
Support your community Support your Jewish News
search
  • Home
  • News
  • Israel at War
  • Opinion
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • Partners
    • Atlanta
      Atlanta Jewish Times
    • North New Jersey
      The Jewish Standard
    • Pittsburgh
      Jewish Chronicle
    • United Kingdom
      The Jewish News
    • Australia
      The Australian Jewish News
    • For Publishers
      Become a Times of Israel Partner
  • search

11 of the best Israeli spy shows to watch on Netflix!

From Munich, The Spy and Entebbe to Homeland, Fauda and Operation Finale, here's a round-up of the most thrilling Mossad-inspired TV shows and films to watch right now...

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • email
  • Print
By Francine Wolfisz April 29, 2020, 2:14 pm Edit

Francine Wolfisz is the Features Editor for Jewish News.

Hadar Ratzon Rotem as Nadia and Sacha Baron Cohen as Eli in Netflix drama, The Spy
Hadar Ratzon Rotem as Nadia and Sacha Baron Cohen as Eli in Netflix drama, The Spy

Munich

Steven Spielberg‘s 2005 historical drama retells the true-life story of Operation Wrath of God, the Israeli government’s secret retaliation against the Palestine Liberation Organisation, following the slaughter of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Eric Bana plays Mossad agent Avner Kaufman, who is chosen to lead a mission to assassinate 11 Palestinians allegedly involved in the massacre. Authorized by Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir,  the operation is believed to have continued for more than 20 years. 

The Spy

Sacha Baron Cohen stars as a Mossad agent in the thrilling Netflix mini-series, The Spy, which is written and directed by Homeland creator Gideon Raff.  Eli Cohen worked undercover in Syria from 1961 to 1965 and developed close ties with the political and military hierarchy, before becoming chief adviser to the minister of defence. But his cover, under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet, was eventually blown and he was put on trial and executed by Syria. The intelligence he gathered was credited by then-PM Levi Eshkol as a factor in Israel’s success in the Six-Day War.

Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

READ MORE: Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: ‘When he was caught, something died within me’  

The Red Sea Diving Resort

Based on the real-life rescue mission, the details of which were declassified a few years ago, The Red Sea Diving Resort tells the daring story of Mossad agents and brave Ethiopians working together in the early 1980s to use a deserted holiday retreat in Sudan as a front to smuggle thousands of Ethiopian-Jewish refugees to Israel. Directed, written and co-produced by Homeland creator, Gideon Raff, the cast features Chris Evans as Ari Kidron, the Mossad agent who co-leads the mission into Sudan, alongside Michael Kenneth Williams, Ben Kingsley, Haley Bennett and Alessandro Nivola.

Entebbe

Jose Padilha’s political thriller, starring Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl, recounts the daring mission launched by Israeli commandos in 1976 to rescue nearly 100 passengers taken hostage by terrorists, after an Air France jet traveling from Tel Aviv to Paris was hijacked. Diverting the plane to Entebbe, the main airport of Uganda, the hijackers – who were Palestinian and German terrorists – demanded the release of 40 militants imprisoned in Israel and 13 in four other countries, in exchange for the passengers. Ugandan dictator Idi Amin supported their cause and personally welcomed them after arriving in the country. With information provided by Mossad, the IDF launched one of the most audacious rescue missions in history.

 

The Angel

This real-life thriller is directed by Ariel Vromen and based on Uri Bar-Joseph’s bestselling novel, The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel. The gripping plot tells the story of high-ranking Egyptian official Ashraf Marwan, who became a spy for Israel despite being the son-in-law of former Egyptian President Garmal Abdel Nasser and adviser to his successor, Anwar Sadat.

The Spy Who Fell To Earth

If you’ve watched The Angel, discover more about Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of President Gamal Abdel Nasser,  who was outed as a Mossad spy in this fascinating documentary. In 2007, Marwan fell from the balcony of his fifth floor flat in London, but did he jump – or was he pushed? This gripping film looks at whether Marwan was murdered for being a traitor, or indeed claims that he may have been a double agent, against the backdrop of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Fauda

The third series of the hit Israeli TV drama Fauda, which was released earlier this month on Netflix, is the most explosive yet, with all the action taking place in Gaza. Since its 2015 premiere, millions have been gripped by the Nextflix show’s storyline, which revolves around Israeli unit commander Doron Kavillio (played by co-writer Lior Raz) fighting threats to his country’s security. The gripping third series, which is partly filmed in the Israeli–Arab town of Jisr az-Zarqa, north of Caesarea, features a plot exploring the issue of underground tunnels built by terrorists.

Homeland

Gideon Raff’s Israeli spy thriller began life as Hatufim (Prisoner of War), before it was remade by American producers in 2011 and became global smash hit, Homeland. The series follows CIA agent Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) and Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a US Marine who is suspected of having been “turned” by the enemy while held captive by al-Queda, prior to returning to the United States. The show’s seventh series is currently being show on Channel 4 on Sundays, but you can catch up on all previous episodes through Netflix and Amazon. The first seven series of Homeland are available now on Netflix, with the eighth and final series on All4.

Operation Finale

Gripping drama from director Chris Weitz retelling the true-life story of Mossad agent Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) and his team, who covertly hunted down and captured Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann (Ben Kingsley), while hiding in Argentina. Operation Finale shows Eichmann’s subsequent arrest and trial in Israel in 1961, where he was ultimately executed for his crimes.

Inside The Mossad

Former Israeli secret service heads and agents break their silence and talk for the very first time about what it is like to work for one the most enigmatic institutions in the world in this revealing documentary.

Mossad 101

An eclectic group of new cadets undergo the rigorous psychological and moral training in an effort join the Mossad intelligence agency. Shtisel actor Hana Laszlo features among the cast as one of the aspiring secret agents.
logo
Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Read more

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

read more:
  • Netflix
  • Arts
  • Feature
  • Features
  • The Spy
  • Sacha Baron Cohen
  • Mossad
  • Eli Cohen
  • Kamel Amin Thaabet
  • Noah Emmerich
  • Hadar Ratzon Rotem
  • Kosher Culture
  • Lior Raz
  • Fauda
  • Entebbe
  • Rosmund Pike
  • Daniel Bruhl
  • Uganda
  • Operation Finale
  • Chris Weitz
  • Peter Malkin
  • Oscar Isaac
  • adolf eichmann
  • Ben Kingsley
  • The Red Sea Diving Resort
  • Gideon Raff
  • Chris Evans
  • Doron Kavillio
  • ‘The Angel’
  • Ariel Vromen
  • Ashraf Marwan
  • Munich
  • The Spy Who Fell To Earth
  • Mossad 101
  • Inside The Mossad
  • Steven Spielberg
  • Avner Kaufman
  • Eric Bana
  • golda meir
  • Hana Laszlo
  • Israel News
  • Film and TV
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • email
  • Print
Spotlight
Communicated Content
  • The digital nomad working remotely at sunset
    Increasing your workforce without the cost
    By Allyson Shaw
  • The Dukley Hotel & Resort for a special seder
    Kosher Paradise in luxury with a sublime discount
    By Allyson Shaw
  • Securing your home in Israel is plain sailing with the right help
    By David Gross
  • All you need to know about us at the Anu Museum of the Jewish People
    How Israel’s history grounds our connection
    By Charlotte Henry
  • Wildlife at the Ramon Crater, Negev
 (Dafna Tal for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism)
    The Negev: This is where the magic happens
    By Charlotte Henry
  • Yallagan: Connecting Jewish people worldwide through community and events
    By Louisa Walters
  • Spectrum Apartments, Hendon
    Selling Spectrum
    By Louisa Walters
  • Own a kosher slice of Cyprus
    By Candice Krieger
  • Feast on Cloud 9 at The Grove
    The country house that has much to offer, whether for a day trip or a stay
    By Louisa Walters
  • Squires Estates in North London has 20 years’ experience and so much to offer
    By Louisa Walters
  • Jewish values or outstanding education? Your child deserves both
    By Louisa Walters
  • Hassle-free later living in the heart of Hampstead
  • Secure your future in Israel with a team that will hold your hand
    By Louisa Walters
  • From funny girl to funny lady, Carole Shaw has spent years making audiences laugh
    By Brigit Grant
  • Live the dream in Israel
    By Louisa Walters
  • Having a function? You need a band!
    By Louisa Walters
  • Christine Kulbas, founder of MOMA
    ‘Marketing is the foundation of advertising,’ says founder of Mayfair agency MOMA
    By Louisa Walters
  • Love your Home
    By Louisa Walters
  • Discover a new lease of life
    By Louisa Walters
  • They’ve performed with Take That, John Legend and Rita Ora – now they can perform for you!
    By Louisa Walters

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here
More issues
JN 1422 front cover