‘Fauda’ is Lebanon’s top show on Netflix as it thrives across Arab world

The new season of the Israeli series 'Fauda,' released on Netflix on September 8, has achieved significant popularity across the Arab world, notably becoming the number one show in Lebanon, a country officially at war with Israel since 1948. The series, which depicts an Israeli counterterrorism unit and is based on true stories, also ranks in the top 10 in nine other Arab countries, including Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Morocco, Oman, Kuwait, and Egypt. This success is particularly noteworthy given heightened anti-Israel sentiment and the inclusion of detailed flashbacks to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in two new episodes. Co-creator Avi Issacharoff stated, "People asked whether Fauda would still try to present both sides. But this event is different. Here, you want to tell the story from an Israeli perspective." Despite this, Arab viewers continue to engage with the series, with a Lebanese newspaper reviewer acknowledging its compelling nature while raising questions about narrative and representation.