The Honourable Woman (2014): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Ribbon Cutter - full transcript

'Who do you trust?
How do you know?'

'By how they appear?
Or what they say?'

Have you ever lied to me,
Nathaniel?

- 'What they do?'
- No.

Who told you about Shlomo Zahary's
Hezbollah connection?

I can't tell you that.

' We all have secrets.'

'But sometimes,

'rarely...'

I know your secret, Ephra.

'..something can happen
that leaves you no choice...



'..but to reveal it.'

'Is your secret safe?'

No, it's not.

'But mostly we tell lies.

'We hide our secrets from each other,

'from ourselves.

'So, when you think about it
like that...'

Who is Kasim's father?

'..it's a wonder we trust
anyone at all.'

What about Palestinian rights?

Which Palestinians are you
talking about?

The ones under the rule
of the Palestinian Authority,

or the ones under
the rule of Hamas?

Because Hamas,
who run Gaza right now,



not only refuse to acknowledge
that the Israeli state exists,

they keep flinging rockets
into the country to prove it.

The effects aren't comparable.
You're talking David and Goliath.

How do the effects diminish
the intention? I don't get it.

And if you talk David and Goliath,

at least get your history
the right way round.

Goliath came from Gaza.

Do you make these arguments

because you're genuinely
an Israeli apologist,

or is it simply the fundamental
default of being a Jew?

Do you ask this question because
you're genuinely anti-Semitic,

or is it because you're
an absolute fucking shit?

Fish was good.

Why didn't you say something?
Like what?

You're the Middle East expert, Hugh.

You could have at least
tried to calm things down.

That's not my job. All I do is
give other people information.

It's up to them to decide
what they do with it.

And that way your lot
sent us to war with Iraq.

And that way you separate
yourself from the problem.

And you're very good at that,
you really are.

Do you know what I'd like to see?

You engaging with a problem,

getting all hot and sweaty
about it.

What, like those two idiots?
Like it mattered. To you.

Stick your head over a parapet.

You mean just before
I get it shot off?

At least then we'd know
you stood for something.

We? Who's we?

Me. Then I'd know.

Darling, have you been
upping my insurance?

What? Well, you know.

There's only one qualification
for martyrdom.

Death.

Modeh ani lefanecha.

Don't be afraid.

I'm safe.

I can't do this.

If it's the price
for a nation.

So, here she is.

Little Judith,
after her grandmother,

who, er...left this house
and this life too soon.

Too soon, but whose loss
taught us to carry on

and to endure all hardships
and all trials

and maybe this is why we called
her Mazel also, hm?

Because for all of life's hardships,

sometimes all you need
is a little bit of luck.

So, look, I don't want to
hold you up.

Er...the idea of me standing between
Shlomo and a plate of food is

a danger of truly biblical
proportion. True.

But I did just want to take
this opportunity to...

..say a few words.

Er...

I formally took over the reins of
the Stein Group five years ago...

..my father wisely guessing

that before the age of 28 I probably
would have blown it all

on a lifestyle to match my, um...
George Clooney looks.

But...but, having done so,

I know that what I decided to do
with the company was so radical

and, to many people's eyes,
so appalling,

that we lost a lot of friends...

..which is why,
seeing you here today,

in my father's house,

means so much.

You've endured...

..and we know that.

But, and there is a but...

..I also hope and believe that we
have enjoyed a little bit of luck.

The seeds of our educational
investment programme

are beginning to show their
first fruits

with faculty funding both
in Israel, East Jerusalem

and the West Bank seeing our first
crop of graduates last year,

and, to that end, next week, Nessa
will be travelling to the West Bank

to formally open
our computer faculty...

..whilst our dear friend
Shlomo Zahary

is about to roll out phase one

of our telecommunications network
which will link it all together.

Thank you.

And as I stand here in front of
my...beautiful baby daughter...

..who we're all doing a wonderful

job of pretending she isn't crying
when she really, really is,

I just wanted remind you that...

..as idealistic and as foolish
as many people have
condemned me for being,

we remain utterly committed

and now we're beginning to flourish.

Our luck has held. Ah, crazy kid.

How many times have I told you?
Never ask for luck. Never!

Luck is a beautiful woman
you turn away from,

cos you know you ain't ever
going to get her.

And then, maybe then,
she'll touch your shoulder.

And this I know

because I married her.

Oh, Shlomo! Oh, yes.

Have you finished? Finished?

Well, you keep talking like that,
we all are!

Ladies and gentlemen, enough of me.

Please go and help yourselves.
Let's get something to eat!

♪ Unter Yideles vigele

♪ Shteyt a klor-vays tsigele

♪ Dos tsigele iz geforn
handlen

♪ Dos vet zayn dayn baru

♪ Rozhinkes mit mandlen

♪ Shlof-zhe, Yidele, shlof

♪ Rozhinkes mit mandlen

♪ Shlof-zhe, Yidele, shlof

♪ Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

♪ Ah, ah, ah

♪ Oh... ♪

Hi.

Are you all right? Yes.

Even now, I think I can see
her in Mazel.

Ephra. True.

You don't mind that it's me
making all these speeches?

No, I prefer it.

It was your idea, all this.
You sell it better.

Really?

Anyway, primogeniture -

woe betide a little Jewish girl
to get in the way of that.

'Earlier today Israel
welcomed...' I'm proud of you.

'..the release of a soldier...'
Thank you.

'..from the Israeli Defence
Force.' So would Papa be.

'The Palestinian Authority,

'who claim to have negotiated the
release of the Israeli soldier,

'insisted that the handover was a
unilateral gesture of goodwill.

'This position has been
reinforced today

'by Israel's public reiteration
of its refusal to negotiate
with terrorists.'

Yes, I think he would be.

It's bad news.

You're joking? He won't budge.

But after the September dossier...

Well, you know Sir Christopher.
He's going to brass it out.

He shouldn't be given the choice.
He should be fired.

Publicly sacking the head of the
Secret Intelligence Service?

That's a little too transparent,
even for this government.

He has lost all credibility,
every bloody ounce of it,

and if he carries on in position,

it's only going to bleed into the
rest of us. Yes, we all agree.

But he's simply not going to move on
unless he's encouraged to.

Who by?

Hm? Julia, you are the DEPUTY head
of the Secret Intelligence Service.

If you can't think of something,

well, who can?

Atika?

Hi!

Oh, I hope I didn't keep you
waiting.

To be expected. Atika Halabi.

Yes. No, I know. I know who you are.
I read all about you on the plane.

Oh.

You're from Gaza. Originally.

And do you get back there much?
The borders are closed, Miss Stein.

No, no. I know, I know. I know.
I'm sorry.

Now anyway, my life is here now.

And Ephra says you are
an excellent translator.

The proud graduate
of one of your faculties.

Is no-one travelling with you?
Who were you expecting?

No-one. Did they give you trouble?

Yeah, a few calls. Mm.

But once they knew who your
father was...

Well, I hope it's more once
they know what my brother
and I are all about.

Of course.

But I came prepared. So, let's
make the most of it, shall we?

Welcome to the West Bank,

Miss Stein. Thank you.

No, "Nessa", please, please.
It is a pleasure to be here.

OK, the car is just here. Shall we?
Yeah, yeah, OK.

So, this is your agenda for the day.

We arrive at the university, you
will open the computer faculty,

and then there will be people
for you to meet,

from the university -
staff, students.

And also you should know, I think,
they might be expecting you
to make a speech.

Oh, yeah, I know. I've been
practising in the mirror all night.

You're not used to make speeches?

Well, if there's one advantage
to having a darling elder brother,
it's that.

Mr Stein is well?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, he is. Thank you.

I was expecting to see him.

You're not too disappointed, I hope?

I hear he had a baby.

Yeah, a little girl.

Rachel's Tomb is where you crossed,
you know.

Yeah, I know. Unfortunately,
she died in childbirth.

Many women, they go there
to pray to become pregnant.

Be careful what you wish for.

Are you married? Oh, no.

You have a boyfriend? No.

Please, be sure to give
my best wishes to Mr Stein.

Oh, I will.

Wow, there's such a lot of you!

Um...it's wonderful
to be here today...

..not only to see these fantastic
facilities for the first time...

..but also to see all of you...

..overwhelming as you are
to this nervous speaker.

Is it raining?

- Yes?
- Yes.

I'd better be quick, then.

I mean, these computers...

what are they, really?

They're just pixels and digits
and bits of circuitry,

and as...as our programme
continues to advance

and we roll out more bits of wiring

so that more pixels and more digits
can connect to more universities,

it all gets to feel a bit technical,

and also a bit overwhelming
sometimes...

..frankly, to someone like me...

..when what it's all
actually about...

..is really very simple.
It's about you.

So...

just use it.

Be curious.

Communicate.

Connect.

Share with each other
and with other people.

Across the border, across the world.

Be the future. Make it better.

It's really very simple.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I think I did well, don't you?

Yeah. Oh, yes.
Ridiculous shoes I wore.

You have a wonderful campus.

You must be very proud.

And grateful.
It was just a contribution.

A very significant one.

It... It's true we're in early days,
but I feel like there's
a kind of excitement.

Oh! European languages? Yes.

Would it be possible...? Of course.

And when do you start building?
Building?

For the extension. What extension?

For the European languages block.
We have no plan to put an extension.

Yes! Yes. We donated a 1.5 million
dollar grant towards it.

Not to us, Miss Stein.

Yes, to you. No.

Yes. Yes, it was in the paperwork.
I read it on the plane.

They are very worried.
They think...

They think I think
there's been corruption.

Yes.

Hello?

No, listen. Please tell him
I need to speak with him now.

You shouldn't have come alone.

Yeah.

I didn't realise I was going to
need assistance.

I can tell you, no question,
that this has not happened in
our institution.

We did not ask for a grant.

We do not need one.
Excuse me. I need to take this.

Ephra, I think we have
a situation here.

All right, let me deal with it.

But I'm here right now.
You'd better tell me what to do.

Er...nothing. Don't...don't do
anything. Let me handle it.

(I think I might have
really put my foot in it.)

Yeah, I think you might have done.
Where did you pick this up?

'I read it on the plane.'

What? What did you read?
'A spreadsheet.'

You read spreadsheets?

I'm not just a ribbon-cutter, Ephra.

'You should have checked with me
first.' That's what I'm doing.

'No, no, before you said anything.'
I know, I know. I'm sorry.

Let me contact
the Education Minister at PA.

OK. So should I.
'Look, no. Just leave it to me.'

If I've made a mistake, I want
to apologise for it personally.

'If?'

You've MADE a mistake,
Nessa, a big one.

He says they could not possibly
have approved this grant.

Their records suggest it went to
the Shekba Institute
of Higher Education.

Where is that? Gaza.

Gaza.

No. No, we don't deal with Gaza.

Nor do they.

This is not a good place
for you to be talking.

You shouldn't be hearing any of this.

I hear many things, Miss Stein,
but I never, never speak of them.

Trust me.

I need a place where I can talk.

Where are you?

In Ramallah.

'You...you should
come out of there, Nessa.

'You should go home to Jerusalem.'

Ephra, I'm looking at the figures.
A transfer WAS made,

but according to the minister,
the money went into Gaza.

Well, when did we start
funding projects in Gaza?

We didn't.
'Well, according to him we did.'

Then he's mistaken.

Well, someone must have approved
that payment from our side.

'I know.'

Ephra?

There are still elements of Fatah
in Gaza that the Authority
unofficially supports.

'What?'

It's possible they passed
the money on, using us as cover.

Using us?

We can't allow them to do that.

'We cannot go accusing them
of corruption, Nessa.'

Well, we can if they did it.

In fact, we have to. 'No.'

We cannot be compromised,
Ephra, ever.

The Authority is rife with this sort
of thing, it has been for years,

and...we have to work with it,

because if we call it out, then they
won't work with us any more.

That's corruption. 'That's reality.'

I don't accept it. 'Well, then,
you're going to have to.'

I'm going to call it.
That's the only way this can go.

No, there is only one way
this is going to go now.

A clerical error?

This money was always
intended for this university,
and this is where it will be.

And you will allow your cash flow
to be audited?

Of course. Our book is open.

Miss Stein, believe me,
this was a genuine mistake.

We are very grateful to you
for bringing it to our attention.

Miss Stein.

Oh...

What else did you expect?

Did that money go into Gaza?

'We'll never know.'

1.5 million to an internationally
recognised terrorist organisation?

I think we should.
Well, I forbid you.

Oh, my brother forbids me?

'Just come home, Nessa, all right?'

Just, please, just come home.

'You're just going to let it go?'
There is nothing for us to follow.

'There is if we look.' Don't.

Do you believe in what we're doing?

'Oh, I'm insulted you even
have to ask.'

Because it's not just the result,
Ephra.

It's every little step.

We cannot be compromised.

Don't be so naive.

This is NOT the way to do it.

It's the Middle East, Nessa.
It's the only way.

And maybe that's why, from now on,
you SHOULD stick
to cutting ribbons...

at home.

You want to go to Gaza?

Can you get me in there? Maybe.

But I would need to trace that money.

There are people you could speak to.

Who?

Not everyone support Hamas.
But it is dangerous.

Well, I don't want to
put you at risk.

Gaza is my home. I am born to it.

But for you,
maybe it's not worth the risk.

Do you have brothers?

No. I'm an orphan.

So are we.

I love him so much.

But we have to do this right.

Put your scarf on.

Welcome to Gaza.

Oh. Oh, look. Look, look.

Yeah?

Yeah? No, sir.

She hasn't returned to Jerusalem

and the hotel in Ramallah
has no record

of her either. What's happened?

It's, er...Nessa. We, um...

What? We're...

..not sure where she is.

Who's with her?

You let her go out there alone?
No, she's with my translator.

So, call him. It's a her,

and she's not answering either.

Get me this number.

Washington State? DC.

Rachel, take Hannah home, would you?

What's going on?

Rachel, please.

Hannah, darling, we're going home.

Yeah?

Yeah, put her through.

Yes, there's a problem.

Are you all right? Yeah.

Funny to think we're just over
an hour from Tel-Aviv.

The man we were due to meet here,

he's pulled out. What?

It's not safe for him.

And it's safe for me?

Collaboration here, especially
with you, it's very dangerous.

For everyone.

There's someone else.

Who?

He's Fatah, but he knows
people in the administration.

If the money you're looking for
has come to them,
he'll be able to tell us.

OK.

Let's meet him.

There's one problem.
He won't come here.
We would have to go to him.

So? Let's do it.

Let's do it?

Are you crazy?

Before, we had a plan. Now we don't.

In a place like this, without
a plan, you should get out.

But we're here now.

And from here, we can leave.

I want to meet him.

For what?

For your company?

Or for you against your brother?

Which?

What do you think?

I think both.

This company cannot be compromised.

You cannot be compromised.

One serves the other.

Then you are the company.

Yes, I am.

I just have to prove it.

I think you already have.

My ears!

I can't hear you!

We don't negotiate with
terrorists.

Neither do we. But just so as
you know,

they want 1.5 million dollars
for her.

The Al Karameh Brigade.

Zahid Al-Zahid. Yes, a dinosaur...

..whose time has passed.

Well, clearly, he's still alive.

Not for us.
We have withdrawn from Gaza.

Let them fight it out
amongst themselves.

For Nessa Stein? Zahid is Fatah.

Gaza is run by Hamas.
They hate each other.

No wonder he's scuttling around
in cellars. You see our problem?

How can we negotiate
with any of these people,

when all they want to do
is kill each other?

We have no contact with Al-Zahid.
I have a woman,

who has a British passport,

who is being held by an armed wing
of your organisation.

We don't have an armed wing.

Maybe you've forgotten
to tell Al-Zahid.

We can't tell him anything. He's in
Gaza and Gaza is run by Hamas now.

We have no jurisdiction there,

not since the Americans forced us
to have that election.

I'm sorry. We cannot help you.

Then who can?

So, let me get this straight.

It is the position of the UK
government not to help my sister.

It is the position of the Israeli
government not to help my sister,

and it is the position of the
PLO not to help my sister.

At least now I know where charity...

..ends.

She shouldn't have gone in there.
But there she is.

And I think you already know
what has to happen next.

It is the strong advice
of the British Government

that you do not enter negotiations
with these people.

Is that so?

And should you do so, I am in a
position to formally warn you

that this government
may enact sanctions

against any part or parts of your
company believed to be involved.

Where would you say you were on
the pay scale, Mrs Walsh?

How far up?
To make those kind of statements.

Pretty high.

So, you think you have the authority
of your government

to come in here and threaten me?

I think you should listen
very carefully.

We do not negotiate with terrorists.

Really?

Well, then,
I'm sorry to have to inform you

that you're lower down
that pay scale than you think.

So, you go and tell your boss, Sir
Christopher, something from me.

He was happy
to help us out last time.

Why not this?

Last time?

It's not a hook, Mrs Walsh.
It's a message.

Run along and give it.

That was quick.

It was a short message.

Who the fuck do you think you are?

You think you can play games with a
national government and win?

I think I've got
a pretty strong hand. Hand?

Cards?

Oh, my God, you think you're
the fucking Sundance Kid!

You are so going to lose.

Everything.

If you really had been doing
something with my superior...

Oh, I have.

..then, sure as shit,
he'll have had you sign
the Official Secrets Act.

I know him. He loves a contract,
does Christopher,

which is how I know precisely
where I am on the pay scale.

You so much as whisper a word
to your fucking wife,

let alone a journalist,

and that'll be two Steins
banged up,

with no hope of getting either
one of you out. You don't get to...

I have not...

finished.

You cannot win, Mr Stein...
not at this level.

You shouldn't even be playing.

If you really were Robert Redford,

right now that's the Bolivian
army outside

and all their guns
are pointed at you.

However, you are correct
in one thing.

You want any chance
of getting out of this mess,

you, your family, your business,
maybe even your sister,

then you do need to tell SOMEONE
everything you know...

..and that someone is me.

Now you may talk.

And you swam over from
Washington?

It increases blood volume.

Why don't you step in
and put your feet up?

What is it you want to talk about?

Ephra Stein.

And how much?

1.5 million dollars.

Channelled through Ephra Stein's
education charity
to an institute in Gaza.

But in reality a payment
to secure the release
of an Israeli soldier.

Which it got.

Secured by Ephra Stein.

And the Israelis? Know nothing.

As soon as they agreed
to withdraw from Gaza,
they couldn't get involved.

The money came from Harold Parr.

The American?

He's AIPAC.

Big-time, and a huge
Republican donor.

But you know
the rugged individualists,
always a law unto themselves.

And why you?

I was approached through
the Washington Bureau.

They wanted to get that boy
out, Julia.

They couldn't think
of another way of doing it

and I just carried the message.

To Ephra Stein.

And then to Sir Christopher.

Which I recorded.

Just in case...

Just in case a day like today
ever arrived.

So, he didn't block the deal?
Sir Christopher?

No, no. Parr's offered him
a university chancellorship
over there,

for when he steps down. Where?

Kent, Connecticut.

Not Ivy League.

Huh! Sold himself cheap.

So...I'm guessing you're about to
gun for his job.

Hm.

And what do you want? Yours.

For that recording of
Sir Christopher? Yes, please.

But I'd like to stay
in Washington a while yet,

seeing as I'm making
so many new friends.

How long? A few years.

Give your present job
to a night watchman,

then call me over to walk
in your wake, as it were.

I'll have to burn Harold Parr.

To the Israelis? Mm.

That's fine. They'll bury it.
They won't let this go public.

But I...I have one other
stipulation.

The Stein Foundation has to stay
intact. It cannot be compromised.

It already is. The Israelis will
know. Hamas probably already does.

But the world doesn't. What's
just happened, it can be cauterised.

Cauterised?

That's clinical.

But what that company stands for,
what it's trying to do,

in the eyes of the world,
that has to stay intact. Why?

Because it'll help. What?

For us to construct peace
in the Middle East.

Then maybe you should
start with Nessa Stein.

And get her out of Gaza? Yes.

They're parking that one.

Parking? My, how you're
picking up on the lingo!

And will they be "circling back
on it" any time in the future?

From now on, Julia, we really
don't negotiate with terrorists.

Daniel, I'm afraid I have some
rather distressing news for you.

Done.

Sir Christopher Grieff
announced his retirement today

after six years as head of
the Secret Intelligence Service.

No direct reason has been cited,

although rumours of a chancellorship

at an American university
have not been denied.

Harold Parr today stepped down
as a leading member

of the American Israel
Public Affairs Committee.

A representative of the
Israeli Embassy in Washington

thanked Mr Parr
for his great contribution

to American/Israeli affairs,
but looked on his retirement

as an opportunity for both sides

to re-examine the strength
of their bonds.

Julia Walsh has been named

as the new head of the Secret
Intelligence Service.

Walsh, 45, a career civil servant

and previously head of the
service's Middle East department,

made no comment this evening,

which is perhaps only appropriate

for the latest incumbent
of that legendary nickname, C.

Hello?

- 'Are you still fucking your wife?'
- Actually, I was sleeping.

'Yeah, for quite a while now.

'Time to wake up,
so you can come over here
and fuck me in your new office.'

What new office?

'I'm giving you
the Middle East desk.'

Oh.

'Well, I can't just be shagging
any old analyst, now, can I?

'There are a few strings, though.'

Oh?

'Mm-hm. A couple of places
I don't want you to look.

'One of them's my stomach.'

And the other?

'The Stein Foundation.'

I'm a realist, Julia.

'That's why I've offered you
the job.'

If you try to get her released,
by any means,

we will find out where she is
and we will bomb it.

If you try to compromise us
again, in any way,

we will find out where she is
and we will bomb it.

If from now on you don't do
exactly what we say,

we will bomb it.

Please, please. I will do anything.

- You've done it all already.
- (Please.)

Get up!

We only ever had each other!

Please!

So...

..every morning,

every single morning that you
wake up and you say your prayers,

you say them for her,

because YOU are
the one who put her there.

And God may forgive you
for what you've done.

But Israel won't.

Ah!

Get up.

Aah!

This is my wife.

This is my daughter.

When you take away my wife...

..when you take away

my child...

..my life...

..all you've got...

..is nothing.

Then...

you will fight
with whatever you have left.

Lie down.

What are you going to do?

(Lie down.)

You don't have to do this.

Stop it! Stop it!

You're going to kill her! Stop it!

OK, look, I'm lying down!

I'm lying down, look!

I'm lying down! Stop it!

Stop it! Stop it! I'm lying down!

It's all right. It's OK.

It's OK. It's all right.

Turn... Turn around.

He has been banished.
He's not allowed to return.

But you will not be allowed
an abortion.

The sharia life's sacred,
no matter how it was created.

I can do it to myself.

I can do it to myself.

You will have the child here.

No.

You must. No.

If you kill the child, they kill me.

But if you have it, afterwards...

..you will be allowed... They're
going to let you go, Nessa.

They're going to let you go home,

and you will be free to tell
the world what happened to you.

They'll say nothing.

This is their shame,
their punishment,

for you to speak of them
as you wish.

You have that power.

What about you?
What's going to happen to you?

I still burned him.

She has to come with me.

Tell them.

Nessa, I can't ask that.

It's impossible. Nessa, I can't.

Please.

I give you my heart.

I give you both hearts.

Please.

She must come with me.

Please.

Yes.

(Nessa.)

Ah.