| Series cast summary: |
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Claire Foy
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Erin Matthews
4 episodes, 2011
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Christian Cooke
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Len Matthews
4 episodes, 2011
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Itay Tiran
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Paul Meyer
4 episodes, 2011
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Katharina Schüttler
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Clara Rosenbaum
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4 episodes, 2011
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Haaz Sleiman
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Omar Habash
4 episodes, 2011
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Ali Suliman
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Abu-Hassan Mohammed
4 episodes, 2011
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Perdita Weeks
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Eliza Meyer
4 episodes, 2011
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Ben Miles
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Max Meyer
4 episodes, 2011
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Smadi Wolfman
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Leah Meyer
4 episodes, 2011
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Holly Aird
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Chris Matthews
4 episodes, 2011
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Hiam Abbass
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Old Jawda
4 episodes, 2011
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Lucas Gregorowicz
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Captain Richard Rowntree
4 episodes, 2011
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Luke Allen-Gale
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Corporal Jackie Clough
4 episodes, 2011
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Iain McKee
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Sergeant Hugh Robbins
4 episodes, 2011
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Paul Anderson
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Sergeant Frank Nash
4 episodes, 2011
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Max Deacon
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Private Alec Hyman
4 episodes, 2011
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Pip Torrens
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Major John Arbuthnot
4 episodes, 2011
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Ben Batt
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Private Derek Toogood
4 episodes, 2011
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Colin Harris
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Private Raymond Atkinson
4 episodes, 2011
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Amir Najjar
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Hassan
4 episodes, 2011
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Fatma Yahia
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Samira
4 episodes, 2011
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Mahmud Abu-Jazi
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Abu-Yousef
4 episodes, 2011
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Raida Adon
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Adiva
4 episodes, 2011
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Shai Egozi
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IDF Commander
4 episodes, 2011
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Ulrich Noethen
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Leo Rosenbaum
4 episodes, 2011
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Yvonne Catterfeld
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Ziphora
4 episodes, 2011
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Yair Rubin
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Immanuel Katz
4 episodes, 2011
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Maria Zreik
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Young Jawda
4 episodes, 2011
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Guy Loel
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Avram Klein
4 episodes, 2011
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Tarik Kopty
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Abdul-Basir
4 episodes, 2011
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Tomer Offner
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Yaron
4 episodes, 2011
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Khulud Abu Lasen
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Khulud
4 episodes, 2011
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Loai Nofi
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Hamid
4 episodes, 2011
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Noa Koler
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Sal'it
4 episodes, 2011
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Mark Spalding
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Police Sergeant Phipps
4 episodes, 2011
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Amir Haddad
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Khalid Habash
4 episodes, 2011
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Liam Evans-Ford
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Private Miggs
4 episodes, 2011
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Lana Zreik
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Rabab
4 episodes, 2011
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Adam Kotz
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Jewish Brigade Major
4 episodes, 2011
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Jameel Khoury
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Kareem
4 episodes, 2011
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Ayala Lipshitz
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Jewish Refugee on Beach
4 episodes, 2011
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Roy Assaf
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IDF Checkpoint Conscript
4 episodes, 2011
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Firas Khoury
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Palestinian Father
4 episodes, 2011
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Mati Atlas
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Demonstration Ringleader
4 episodes, 2011
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Eyal Rozales
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Yaakov Maazel
4 episodes, 2011
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John Warnaby
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Colonel Henry Reid
4 episodes, 2011
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Ilan Ganani
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Jewish Man From House
4 episodes, 2011
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Michal Rubin
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Jewish Woman from House
4 episodes, 2011
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Martin Delaney
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Operation Bulldog Paratrooper
4 episodes, 2011
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Benny Eldar
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Nathan Filer
4 episodes, 2011
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Alon Dahan
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Hebron Heckler
4 episodes, 2011
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Igal Reznik
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Mikhail
4 episodes, 2011
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Eva Huri
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4 episodes, 2011
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Yoram Yosephberg
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Irgun Fighter in Deir Yassin
4 episodes, 2011
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Martin Blakelock
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Military Policeman
4 episodes, 2011
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Salim Dau
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Ahmed Abu El-Haija
4 episodes, 2011
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Naama Amit
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Nurse
4 episodes, 2011
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Max Benjamin Mager
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British Soldier
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3 episodes, 2011
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Moon Shavit
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2 episodes, 2011
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I had a personal interest in this for two reasons. My father served with the paras in Palestine (having joined up to fight the Germans) and I've had a long-term interest in what is now known as the 'IP' question. I have to say I was engrossed by the whole series, although there a few dramatic devices which were verging on the unbelievable. It might have worked better as a drama for those who knew absolutely nothing about the situation, in either era. I probably spent too much time worrying about the politics. My sympathies have always lain with the Palestinian side, and there were bits of it I thought were good for setting out a side to Israel that isn't always seen (eg the attitude of the settlers to the indigenous population, which I suspect are an embarrassment to many Israelis). However, although I know where I stand, I wouldn't want to watch anything which contained too much simple propaganda. I think The Promise did achieve a level of balance, sometimes to the detriment of the drama (eg the King David Hotel incident being followed by a suicide bomber). The perception has been is that The Promise was more pro Arab than Israeli, but I can guarantee that no-one with strong views and a knowledge of the history would be particularly satisfied with the politics. For instance, all the main characters were either Brits or Jews, the Arabs were walk-on one dimensional characters. I think it can best be regarded as a drama set in turbulent times, and not as a drama documentary - there is simply too much history to cover to do anything else. I realise it was a dramatic device but poor Len seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time throughout. To put in context, the British had about 100,000 troops in Palestine from 46 to 48, and lost 234 (ish). Not a small figure, but less than you would think from watching The Promise where every other Jew appeared to be a member of the Irgun (which was just one of a number of Jewish organisations). And the 100,000 weren't all Paras... As others have mentioned, why didn't Erin just read the whole diary at once!! Anyway, I elected not to include spoilers so I'll remain silent on various bits which annoyed me along the 'that didn't happen' and 'that couldn't happen' lines. But overall, I did actually enjoy it. Worth watching.