The Americans 2X5: The Deal

I feel like I was much more confused while I was watching this than I actually was. Once I was able to take a moment to reflect when it ended, I think I was more sure of what was going on. However, I'm still a little unsure how the Israeli agent fits in.

So the guy who attacked them in the street turned out to be an Israeli agent. Philip takes him to an abandoned building to hold him until he receives further instructions. The new Claudia shows up and he tells her they need a better safe house, so she heads off to do that. However, when she shows back up, she tells him we are trading him for the Russian professor.

Philip leads him to an alleyway where the professor is with his handler and they make the exchange. However, the professor begs and pleads and cries. He desperately does not want to be sent back to Russia; he spent so long trying to get here. He promises Philip that he could do a better job for Russia here with all the equipment he has. He tries to use his family to sway Philip. But in the end, Philip hands him over and he gets handcuffed inside a cargo ship.

Okay, so I'm not really sure what happened here. I understand that Russia wanted this professor back. But how did the Israelis get involved? Why did they attack when Philip and Elizabeth were trying to kidnap him? We hear at the end of the episode that the Russians released something like 1500 Israelis in exchange for the professor. I assume it has something to do with that. Is this a history thing I don't know?

While this is happening, Stan and three other FBI agents are chasing Oleg (because Nina thinks he'll be the one making the exchange). However, when Stan shows up, he's alone. No professor. But, this was Oleg's plan. He knows that Nina is working for him and wants something so as not to expose her and keep her safe. He doesn't tell Stan what that is yet, but you know it's not going to be something small.

Elizabeth manages to get the files from the navy boy. And he seems to know immediately that she won't be seeing him agin. But she is kind when she leaves him. Then she heads over to Martha's posing as Clark's sister. Martha has left a zillion messages on the machine about how she's going to put Clark down on her application. 'Jennifer' convinces her not to. But she has to listen to a drunk Martha tell her how good her husband is in bed. (I mean, to be honest, Elizabeth definitely prodded a little bit there). It's a good think Martha is drunk. Hopefully she won't remember how interested Clark's sister was in hearing about their sex life.