The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. Egypt has the strongest of the Arab countries and sworn enamy if Israel with the decision to evacuate Egypt, modern bases, airfield, and huge stores of equipment and war material would fall into the Egyptian army. Before leaving, Cohen assured his wife it would be his last trip before he returned home permanently. To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anythingDo what you must, don't deprive the children of a father. At the beginning of the 1956 War, when Israel occupied the Sinai, Eli Cohen was detained by the Egyptian authorities, and was expelled from Egypt along with the remainder of Alexandrian Jews at the end of the war. On May 15, 1965, Eli wrote a final letter to Nadia, requesting her not to mourn his death and stating that she should hold her head high, as her husband had done nothing wrong. After the Israel Independence War In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. The Israeli government and Cohens widow have for many years sought the return of Elis body. The crime of obtaining secret information is kept hidden to ensure the safety of the country to benefit the enemy. For 19 years, Jewish settlements in the north were under constant threat of Syrian guns. Nadia wishes to be buried beside Elis grave. Out of fear of being caught, Eli expressed his wish to visit Israel in November 1964, to pass on information and also witness the birth of his third child. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. But what happened next apparently deviates from the way it appears in the show. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. Eli Cohen, the spy who was larger than life - The Jerusalem Post Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . Al-Gamal, for his part, adopted the Jewish identity of Jacques Biton and immigrated to Israel from France on the orders of Egyptian intelligence. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. [7][9] The Israel Defense Forces recruited him in 1957 and placed him in military intelligence, where he became a counter-intelligence analyst. "I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has past," his final letter read. She once called her children and four grandchildren to her home in Herzliya, clicked a photo of them together, and sent it to Assad, congratulating him on the birth of his son, Bashar. In 'The Spy,' Sacha Baron Cohen Gets Serious : NPR I don't want to go to my death longing for my Eli to rest in the soil of the land that he loved and for which he gave his life. He worked as an accountant and translator. Eli told Nadia that he got a job with a company that works with defense and foreign ministries, he needs to travel to Europe to buy tools and equipment, and materials for Israel's military. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. In Episode 5, Cohen's playboy-esque Thaabet hosts a sex party at his apartment to distract key government and military officials while the Ba'ath Party's military committee seizes power in Damascus. In Episode 5, Maurice puts the clues together when he covers for the regular analyst that communicates with Cohen using Morse code. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. But in 2018, Cohens watch was retrieved in a secret Mossad scheme. Egyptian authorities uncovered the spy ring and sentenced two of the members to death. But he refused). He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. But changes were taking place in the Syrian Government that alarmed Eli. According to an unconfirmed but widely believed story, he feigned sympathy for the soldiers exposed to the sun and had trees planted at every position, placed to provide shade. This week, KAN 11 began broadcasting a documentary series "Lochem 566," (Fighter 566, Cohen's Mossad codename). In 1960, he was recruited to join the Mossad for a special mission in which he was to pretend to be a Syrian businessman returning to the country after having lived in Argentina. Spouse/Ex-: Eli Cohen (m. 1959-1965) children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Born Country: Iraq Family Members Iraqi Female Life with Eli Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. The alleged son says the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) contacted him two years ago believing he has clues to the secret location, which his father had apparently taken to the grave. He says the spies wanted him to try and talk to his father's close friends or provide insight. At first, he refused. Based on the eucalyptus trees, Israel knew exactly where the Syrian fortifications were. Eventually, they had three children: Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg, and Shai Cohen. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. Born Country:- Iraq Wife/Husband/Ex:- Eli Cohen (m. 1959-1965) Children:- Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Nadia Cohen is the widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, who spied in Syria by posing as a wealthy merchant during the early 1960s before being caught and hanged to death publicly. Hafiz ordered Cohen's execution after he was convicted of espionage in 1965. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. He was caught and sentenced to death. [30], Cohen has become a national hero in Israel, and many streets and neighborhoods have been named for him. The agent replied: "Will do, thanks K". This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. One of the ministrys directors entered the room unannounced. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. In February 2007, a Turkish official assured assistance to Eli's family to get back his body. Download our mobile app for on-the-go access to the Jewish Virtual Library, Cohen publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square, The Pedagogic Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for Israel, 1998 - 2023 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. The Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. One day Cohen was sitting in Saifs office reading a classified document while the Syrian was on the phone. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. Over the years, Nadia has made several efforts to seek a bit of mercy from Syrian officials. Sign in to stop seeing this, Sara Netanyahu accosted by protesters at Tel Aviv hair salon, extricated by police, Brides joy turns to sorrow after Elan Ganeles killed driving to her wedding, Hiker discovers 2,500-year-old ancient receipt from reign of Purim kings father, Netanyahu compares Tel Aviv protesters to settlers who set fire to Huwara. Nadia, understandably, has remained fixated on her loss. He set up a travel agency in Tel Aviv and developed ties with the upper echelons of Israeli society, including politicians. Eli Cohenbecame certain that Israel had spied in the Syrian government. By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. If indeed Biton was a double agent - and Israeli intelligence prides itself on the quality of his work - then it is difficult to believe that he exposed Cohen. Eli Cohen - Jewish Virtual Library He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. In 1960, the national intelligence agency of Israel, 'Mossad,' approached Eli for a classified mission in Syria. Israel tried to obtain the cooperation of her Arab neighbors for the plan, but the Arabs would not agree, even when the United States tried to use its diplomatic leverage for the furtherance of the plan. He was sentenced to death. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. Nadia Cohen, widow of executed Israeli spy Eli Cohen, speaks to Channel 2 on September 20, 2016 after Syrian opposition forces release new video showing moments after he was hanged in. In February 2007, the Turkish government offered to act as a mediator for their return. He died in 2009. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. In the 1970s, they left Israel for Germany and in 1982, al-Gamal, alias Jacques Biton, died of an illness. A New Zealander claiming to the son of a former Syrian president, says he knows the whereabouts of the executed Israeli spy's remains, according to a report on New Zealand news service Newshub on Sunday. He wrote a last letter to his wife before he mounted the scaffold to a seething crowd. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. [16][17] Mossad had carefully planned the tactics that he was to use in building relationships with high-ranking Syrian politicians, military officials, influential public figures, and the diplomatic community. A devout Jew, Cohen wore tefillin during prayer, in his youth he planned of becoming a Rabbi with the backup of Moise Ventura (1893-1978), Chief Rabbi of Alexandria but the Rabbinical School closed down. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. He then underwent a show trial, like the Operation Susannah spies had in Egypt 12 years before., Like them, his verdict was predetermined. Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents, who had migrated to Alexandria from Syria. But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924, the second of eight children in a family of orthodox Jews. The unit bombed unoccupied American and British installations, expecting that this would be considered the work of Egyptians. Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: 'When he was caught, something died When Intelligence came by a second time, he jumped at it. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. Others have attributed the carelessness to an almost suicidal tendency perhaps, it was later surmised, he had been in the undercover world too long, but knew he couldnt get out of it. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. The Israel Defense Forces were alleged to have used the trees as targeting markers during the Six-Day War, which enabled Israel to capture the Golan Heights in two days. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family. Al-Hafidh then sent his bank details, but the deal went cold. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. Israel has for decades worked to retrieve his remains. Years later, in February 2007, a Turkish official confirmed that the government had agreed to look into the matter of returning Eli's remains to his family. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. ", "Former Assad aide: Eli Cohen's burial site unknown],mm", "New footage emerges of Eli Cohen on the gallows", "Mossad Brings Home Watch of Israeli Spy Executed in Syria; Netanyahu Hails 'Brave' Op", "Watch of famed Israeli spy Eli Cohen recovered by Mossad", "The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel's greatest spy", "Will Assad's Ouster Free Body of Israel Spy? China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? Eli Cohen - Wikipedia "It was all for good intentions. Eli was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. had succeeded in friending a Saudi entrepreneur who had been contracted to plan and dig canals, the name was his friend was bin Laden, little Osama's father. Eli Cohen (pictured, at center) was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents who had immigrated to Alexandria from Aleppo, Syria. But his knowledge of. The Spy is streaming globally on Netflix. [12][16], In 2016, a Syrian group calling itself "Syrian art treasures" posted a video on Facebook showing Cohen's body after his execution. By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family. "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. He then moved to Damascus in February 1962, under his new identity, Kamel Amin Thaabet, to extract classified information from Syrian military officers. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. Two of them were Abraham and Maurice. You're not alone. [22], It is claimed that the intelligence that Cohen gathered before his arrest was an important factor in Israel's success in the Six-Day War,[23] although some intelligence experts have argued that the information he provided about the Golan Heights fortifications was also readily available from ground and aerial reconnaissance. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. Recruitment into the Mossad. Fortunately, several were easy to spot, for they . "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. [9] The governments of Belgium, Canada, and France tried to persuade the Syrian government to commute the death sentence,[25] but the Syrians refused. Still Ben-Dor, who was four years old when her father was killed, said she was pleasantly surprised by actor Cohens portrayal. he soon became a well-known figure in the Arab circle. In February 1961 one man handed him an Israeli passport in his real name and a plane ticket to Zurich.on his arrival, Eli was met by a white-haired man who gave him a passport from another name, that passport carried an entry visa to chile and a transit visa to Argentina. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. She smiles. [31] A memorial stone has been erected to Cohen in the Garden of the Missing Soldiers in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem. Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. The Syrian project to divert water from the headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel was mentioned already in the above introduction. On his last visit, in 1964, he told intelligence officers he wanted to come in from the cold because he was concerned a new Syrian intelligence commander did not like him. At these parties, Cohen "dispensed free-flowing liquor and prostitutes",[1] and highly placed officials would openly discuss their work and army plans. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. [19] He also learned of a secret plan to create three successive lines of bunkers and mortars; the Israel Defense Forces would otherwise have expected to encounter only a single line. In the interview, she said that her husband left behind memoirs, notes and other evidence. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. When the Golan was captured in 1967, at almost the end of the Six-Day War, settlers in the north could finally feel relieved. In early 1964, Eli was able to radio Tel Aviv that the channel was being dug along the entire length of the Syrian Heights to receive the diverted flow of the Baniyas River - one of the Jordans major sources - and empty into Jordanian territory. Eli carefully spelled out all the details of the project and passed them on to Israeli Intelligence. His successes couldn't be vocally shared with his family, however. Syria has not even disclosed the location of Eli's grave. Today, one can see the former Syrian bunkers that remain on the Golan Heights from 1967 (as well as the tanks from 1973). This article was originally published in May 2005 and republished to coincide with the release of "The Spy" - a Netflix series about Eli Cohen's life. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. Offended, he resigned from military counterintelligence and took up a clerical job in a Tel Aviv insurance office. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. Cohen was born in 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Mizrahi Jewish and Zionist family. Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel, 2023 The Times of Israel , All Rights Reserved, Sophie Ben-Dor (Screen capture: Channel 12 News), This undated photo shows Israeli spy Eli Cohen in Syria wearing a wristwatch recovered by the Mossad in 2018. you lived with your uncle and worked as a travel agency, later were very successful. In the 1960s, Israel developed a national water carrier which diverted water from the Kinneret into a pipeline that irrigated much of the country and especially Israels arid south. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. [7], In January 1965, Syrian officials, who used Soviet-made tracking equipment and were assisted by Soviet experts, increased their efforts to find a high-level spy. He is being executed according to the two articles 158 and 159 of the military penal code, and articles 271, 272, and 274 of the general penal code. [5] He studied at Cairo Farouk University. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. He was tortured, but he wouldnt give away any incriminating information about Israel. Eli Cohen | My Jewish Learning The Ba'athist coup and Eli Cohen's role. He was eventually exposed and captured by Syrian Intelligence in 1965, sentenced to death and hung at Damascus' main square. Cohen went undercover in Syria as Kamel Amin Thaabet in the early 1960s, aligned himself with key military and government personnel and fed intel back to Israel. According to his fictional biography, in 1948 the family moved to Argentina, where they opened a successful textile business. Kamal Amin Taabets (Eli Cohen) return to Syria would ostensibly be the fulfillment of a lifelong patriotic dream. Since 1992, the Golan has been up for discussion in the peace talks, but it strikes a very emotional chord among Israelis due to its historic and strategic significance, in addition to its natural beauty. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. There he met members of the Jewish Underground, handled by Unit 131 of Israel's Military Intelligence, which was exposed by the Egyptians in 1954. children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Born Country: Egypt Spies Israeli Men Died on: May 18, 1965 place of death: Al Marjeh Square, Damascus, Syria Notable Alumni: Cairo Farouk University Cause of Death: Executed By Hanging City: Alexandria, Egypt More Facts Recommended Lists: Israeli Celebrities Male Spies Israeli Spies Capricorn Men In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen heads to Germany Tuesday as part of Israel's campaign to halt Iran's . For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. As we saw, the Syrians continually harassed Israels northern settlements from 1948-67. Cohen accepted the calling. Learn more. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. He also requested her to remarry so that their children would have a father and she would have a partner. Eli expressed his fear and wish to terminate his assignment in Syria during his last visit to Israel in November 1964. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. To no avail. Nadia Cohen - Life Story of Widow of Israeli Spy Eli Cohen - Facts Ninja Israeli spy's widow 'hurt' by Netflix biopic, but welcomes publicity Israel's minister of defense Pinhas Lavon and colonel Benyamin Gibli head of military intelligence, concocted a dangerous and foolish plan if several terrorist bombings were swept Egypt, the British will return to its former bases and concluded that Egypt's couldn't maintain law and order. [32], John Shea played Cohen in the television film The Impossible Spy (1987),[33] and Sacha Baron Cohen played him in the Netflix miniseries The Spy (2019). Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Thanks". It was hard to see the distance from the truth in some parts of the series, Sophie Ben-Dor said in an interview with Channel 12 news. Eli married Iraqi Jewish Nadia Majald, sister of Hebrew author Sami Michael, in 1959. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. Israels defense planners urgently needed reliable intelligence on the scope of the water diversion project engineering plans, diagrams, maps, and other data and up-to-the-minute assessments of Soviet influence in the Syrian capital, as well as detailed information on plans for the modernization, equipping, and retraining of Syrian forces. Eli Cohen was the man for the job.
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