President Shimon Peres met on Thursday with the crew of the hit American TV series “Homeland,” which is based on an Israeli series (“Hatufim”, or “Prisoners of War”).

Peres told the crew, which is in Israel to film some scenes for the second season of the successful Showtime series, that he was glad the series had been purchased and adapted for American television. He added that Israel stood at the forefront of film and television production.

Peres and his guests also discussed the president’s involvement in Operation Entebbe, the 1976 hostage rescue mission, during his tenure as Israel’s defense minister.

Among the crew was actor Navid Negahban, of Iranian origin, who spoke in praise of the warm welcome he received in Israel.

On Tuesday, former Hamas captive Gilad Shalit, a fan of both “Homeland” and “Hatufim,” was invited to visit the set of “Homeland.”

Both “Homeland” and the Israeli original depict the saga of captured soldiers who return home, and their struggle to rebuild their lives while dealing with the difficulties of readjusting to regular life after living through the nightmare of imprisonment.