Israeli Spy Stories Defy a Hostile World: 'Fauda' and 'Checkout' Bring Truth to the Screen

Two Israeli productions are hitting American screens this month, proving that the Jewish state's stories still command attention even in a climate of rising hostility. 'Checkout', a dark comedy about an aging Mossad operative, and the fifth season of the global hit 'Fauda', which confronts the October 7 massacre head-on, are testing whether audiences still have an appetite for Israeli narratives.

The timing is no accident. A March Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Israel. Yet 'Fauda' returned to Netflix with massive international buzz, and 'Checkout' opened in Manhattan to a sold-out crowd. The Jewish people have always faced a hostile world, from the days of the Maccabees to the modern battlefield of public opinion. These productions are our answer: we will not be silenced.

What is 'Checkout' about?

'Checkout' follows Dov, an American-born New Yorker who moved to Israel and is about to retire from the Mossad. On his final day, the agency's number one target, an arch terrorist named Gilgamesh, checks into the same hotel. What follows is a tense, darkly comic weekend of spy-versus-spy as two middle-aged men confront their identities.

Director Jonathan Dekel spent six years bringing this film to life. The production was nearly destroyed when the set in Ukraine was bombed during the Russian invasion. The team barely escaped with the hard drive. Then, just as editing wrapped, Hamas launched its brutal October 7 onslaught, and Dekel was called up for military service. This is a story forged in the fire of Israel's survival.

Dekel knows the challenges.