In the Season 9 episode "Safe Harbor", Ziva questions his seemingly solitude lifestyle, prompting him to respond, "You're never alone when you have kids," kissing her forehead and adding, "Good night, kid."[29][86]. At the time, she had refused to believe him but later said that he had never been more honest with her. Special Agent Timothy McGee: I have hung a net. He dismisses her ordeal in the desert with the remark "You are not dead." I beg your pardon. [59] However, they maintained the same basic style, keeping her regularly dressed in cargo pants and boots. Shortly thereafter, they learn that she had only used an electronic device to steal credit card details from the actual terrorist. Mossad Director Eli David / . Gender: [38] According to Jenny, Ziva saved her life in Cairo two years prior to Ziva's first appearance in the series. Her relationship with Gibbs is shown to be a little strained after his reaction to her supposed death in "Family First", something which Tony had confronted Gibbs about at the time. [60][63] De Pablo opposed the idea at first and did not want to sing on the show, believing it would be out of character for Ziva. Though she often finds it difficult to follow his orders due to the autonomy she had as a Mossad control officer, Ziva looks up to Gibbs as a leader and often restrains herself from resorting to her assassin background in situations where he would not approve. The following week, "Shiva" drew 22.86 million viewers and became the most watched episode in the series. She was assigned to NCIS as a liaison officer in an arrangement between Eli and Jenny, a position she held for four years until she returned to Mossad in the season 6 finale, "Aliyah". In 2016, Tali survives a mortar attack that presumably kills Ziva, and is introduced to her father shortly thereafter at the behest of Mossad Director Orli Elbaz. Tony then responds with a video of Tali asking Ziva to come home, which Gibbs states is proof she's ready to go home. Michael Nouri: Mossad Director Eli David - IMDb If you choose to let me be part of your life, I would welcome that with open arms. [26], Ziva is scripted as someone who "has had to do awful things and watch awful things in her life";[33] she has "seen 12-year-old suicide bombers in Israel"[34] and gone hungry long enough to resort to eating maggots. According to NCIS writer Christopher Waild, as a result of the murders of her father and Vance's wife in the same attack, "the tragedy of Ziva and Eli now also extends into the Vance family. "[20] She has also said that Ziva is based on an Israeli woman that she had known prior to joining the series. [20] Shortly after returning, she stated in an interview that "Someone from the Israeli department of tourism watched the show and saw that there was an Israeli character on the show, and they were very happy about that. Ziva David in the Season 3, episode, "Silver War". Although Tali is found alive, the NCIS crew are informed that Ziva is dead, though her remains are not found at the house. They really seemed to get that immediately, and that doesn't always happen. She replaced Caitlin "Kate" Todd (Sasha Alexander), who was killed at the hands of Ziva's half-brother, Ari Haswari (Rudolf Martin), in the season 2 finale. [87], She evidently had a close relationship with her siblings, describing her sister as "the best of us" and as a person who had a great deal of compassion. 6 episodes, 2008-2013 Rudolf Martin . But I was wrong about Ari, and you Now he is gone. [56] She does not appear to follow Orthodox Jewish strictures, dating men who are not Jewish, though she celebrates Jewish holidays, observes Shabbat, and has been seen praying in Hebrew on several occasions. Ziva appears in the bathroom following this, extremely upset by the fact that they think that she does not care. Ziva later confronts Eli about his nonchalant attitude towards her ordeal in the desert and the prospect of his own death. Karif Yasin: Stan Ivar . Ziva, played by Cote de Pablo, is a beautiful, sexy woman with a great smile and terrific eyes. [4], Believed to be dead in the first episode of season 7, "Truth or Consequences", Ziva is nonetheless found alive later in the episode, rescued by DiNozzo and McGee, with Gibbs killing her captor himself. She admits that she had been under orders to kill Ari when it became clear that he was out of control, but elucidates that she had never intended to go through with it, believing him to be innocent. [57], Eli and Ziva do not communicate until he visits the U.S. on official business in Season 8, seemingly resenting his daughter and the choice she made to become a U.S. citizen. This shows that, to Ziva, Gibbs is her father. [9] Givaty's casting was reported in the Israeli news, and ADD agent Yaron Lichtenstein commented, "We are proud of Sarai for joining the agency's series of international success stories. It is my dream that my daughter will not have to make that decision with her sons and her daughters. Ziva David's Entire NCIS Backstory Explained - Looper I hurt my neck, I hurt my groin, my pelvis and I had a couple of injuries that were really hard to deal with. That's our secret. Bodner found out about the secret discussions between his boss and the Iranian official, and believes that David's actions could seriously threaten Israel's security. I feel people are likable and not likable and I'm trying to find all those nooks and crannies in my character. Threats arise, and the gang respond. [5] That fall, De Pablo appeared in two episodes as a series regular to wrap up her character's storyline. One ( She is credited as being the only Israeli regular on mainstream American television as well as the "most prominent televisual Israeli". "[89] Rabbi Elliot B. Gertel agreed that Ziva's sympathetic portrayal allowed the series to fairly show the security concerns of the Israeli government and the measures it takes to defend its citizens while still maintaining its role as a "good and helpful ally" to the United States.[39]. Prior to the season thirteen finale, Ziva builds a strong friendship with her father's successor - Director Orli Elbaz - who later informs DiNozzo of the difficulty Ziva had faced while deciding whether to inform him of the birth of their daughter which Tony is given care of after Ziva is presumably killed.