Based on the eucalyptus trees, Israel knew exactly where the Syrian fortifications were. Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. Fortunately, several were easy to spot, for they . Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. The three major tributaries of the upper Jordan River the Dan, the Baniyas, and the Hatzbani all originate in the Golan. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. The newly appointed Syrian intelligence colonel, Ahmed Su'edani, disliked Eli. 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. Once Cohen had established his background, he was inserted into the "target country," Syria, and operated with great success for four years until his capture. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. The Baath party was rising to power and Eli Cohen wanted to be there when it took power. Scheffeldt said that her husband never revealed his true identity, and she learned of it only after a television series aired in Egypt that described him as a national hero. The watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. 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. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant Zaher Al-Din took Eli to the El Hama military camp, where large quantities of new weapons had been stored. Eli Cohenbecame certain that Israel had spied in the Syrian government. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. The Syrians and their Russian advisers were alarmed by the intelligence that was seeping out of the country. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. 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. The message was passed on to the Syrians, who arrested Cohen. click the link in that email to complete your registration. It doesnt fit our story but I understand the situation. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). Today, one can see the former Syrian bunkers that remain on the Golan Heights from 1967 (as well as the tanks from 1973). Eli, after all, was born in an Arab country, had oriental features, was known to be selfless and fearless in pursuit of a cause, and had knowledge of Arabic, English, and French. The next day he comes to Hassan's office and admitted that he is sick and tired to live in Argentina, he wanted to go back to Syria, could he help him with a letter of recommendation? children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, place of death: Al Marjeh Square, Damascus, Syria, See the events in life of Eli Cohen in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubQ6b-9OewI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ9cUmvkgmg. He was supposed to stay in Buenos Aires as a Syrian migr businessman named Kamal Amin Taabet. He worked as an accountant and translator. thus Israel needed an agent in Damascus (Sami Micheal, Nadia Cohen's brother was recruited. [26], Monthir Maosily, the former bureau chief of Hafez Al-Assad, claimed in August 2008 that the Syrians had buried him three times to stop the remains from being taken back to Israel via a special operation. The border with Syria was heating up as well. 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. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. While there, he gained the trust of Amin al-Hafez, who would later become Syrias president. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. He soon established himself in the social and cultural life of the Syrian community of Buenos Aires and was known as a wealthy businessman who was generous, tipped well, and loved the night life. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. At the age of 41, Cohen was hanged in Damascus in front of a crowd of 10,000. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. His new friends introduced Eli to top government officials, senior army officers, and leaders of the ruling party. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. His parents, Syrian Jews from the thriving town of Aleppo, had always instilled in their educationally minded son the traditions of the Jewish people, of Zionism, and of the culture of Syrias Jewish community, in particular.. [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). It went wrong, really wrong," he said. Speaking to Cohen's brother, and to Israeli and Syrian intelligence experts, Sputnik has pieced together a new look at the superspy's incredible life story. Israel has for decades worked to retrieve his remains. He worked as an accountant and translator. He was driven to the airport, where his wife Nadia saw him off. In a February 2006 interview with Jewish Magazine, Maurice Cohen said that he informed his brother that he knew he was "our man in Damascus" in an intriguing way, rather than outright confronting him as seen in The Spy. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. But his knowledge of. As we saw, the Syrians continually harassed Israels northern settlements from 1948-67. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. A month later, a Syrian officer would say that one of Israel's attack architects had been Eli Cohen, who was in Israel during the battle. With senior staff officers acting as guides, Eli Cohen was provided an in-depth intelligence briefing of monumental proportions. They even photographed Eli on the Golan Heights, looking over into Israel, alongside the most high-ranking Syrian officers. 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 he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. 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. In the interview, she said that her husband left behind memoirs, notes and other evidence. The Golan is not only important for its military significance. She smiles. 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. This is adefinitive andfinal verdict. According to the report, Mossad agents were on their way to Auckland, with one text saying: "Wait for our partners to arrive before making a decision.". [7][9] The Israel Defense Forces recruited him in 1957 and placed him in military intelligence, where he became a counter-intelligence analyst. He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. Cohens contacts, nurtured through a string of lavish dinner parties, social occasions, and friendships with those in high places, led to invitations to visit Damascus and to set up a business venture there. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. [7] He took part in various Israeli covert operations in the country during the 1950s, although the Egyptian government could never prove his involvement in Operation Goshen, an Israeli operation to smuggle Egyptian Jews out of the country and resettle them in Israel due to increasing hostility in Egypt. He was eventually exposed and captured by Syrian Intelligence in 1965, sentenced to death and hung at Damascus' main square. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. Recruitment into the Mossad. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. Warning: This article contains spoilers for all six episodes of The Spy. It takes just a few seconds. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . Eli Cohenarrived in Buenos Aires and checked into a hotel .a local teacher would get in touch with him and teach him the Spanish language. He lasted until just July that year when he resigned in protest of the Ba'ath military committee executing dissenting rivals who tried to stage a coup for power. 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. he supplies Eli with inside information about the political and military situation. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. (Israel GPO), President Reuven Rivlin and Nadia Cohen, at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Mossad super spy Eli Cohen, May 18, 2015. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Antoni Porowski Talks New Cookbook, Recipes and Tradition in Cooking, Netflix's 'The Spy': Eli Cohen's Remains Still a Mystery, How to Watch True Crime Series 'Unbelievable' on Netflix. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the. His successes couldn't be vocally shared with his family, however. His widow mentioned that the watch was up for sale months earlier, and Mossad managed to capture it. The Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. Abdel Latif Hassan immediately wrote four letters one to his brother-in-law, two to friends in Beirut, and fourth to his son in Damascus. Since Eli did not have a steady job back then, even though he worked as an accountant, he had to rely more on Nadia to help support the family and their marriage. Eli was friends with two highly placed Army officers, Colonels Hatoum and Dali, who were fully informed about the scheme. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. The president was ousted from power a year later in 1966. He was sentenced to death. They observed a period of radio silence, in the hope that any illegal transmissions could be identified. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. Due to this information, the Israeli Air Force was able to obliterate the Syrian plans for the diversion scheme by shelling and bombing the bulldozers and other equipment used for the scheme in early 1964. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. According to Scheffeldt, al-Gamal wrote in his memoirs of his friendship with Marcelle Ninio, who was sentenced to four years in prison for her role in the Jewish Underground, and also about Eli Cohen. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. The daughter of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen said Sunday it hurt to watch the new Netflix series about her fathers life and execution in Syria, lamenting some historical inaccuracies in the adaptation but praising Sacha Baron Cohens performance. [2], A 2018 article published in Newsweek by Ronen Bergman excerpted from Bergman's book Rise and Kill First, says that Eli Cohen located Alois Brunner, a Nazi scientist suspected of living in Syria, and relayed the information to an Israel intelligence unit that later sent letter bombs to Brunner. [5] He studied at Cairo Farouk University. But in 2018, Cohens watch was retrieved in a secret Mossad scheme. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. Sophia Cohen the 26-year-old daughter of billionaire hedge funder and Mets owner Steve Cohen is no longer engaged to her financier boyfriend Jason Levine, Page Six has confirmed. Still Ben-Dor, who was four years old when her father was killed, said she was pleasantly surprised by actor Cohens portrayal. 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. One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. Last Friday marked the 53rd anniversary of the execution of Eli Cohen, the Egyptian-born Israeli spy who burrowed his way so deep into the Syrian state apparatus he nearly came to head it. He became a confidante of George Saif, high up in the Ministry of Information. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. After several days, Eli got a new identity as Kamal Amin Tablet, son of Syrian parents, born in Beirut. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. Employment was not always steady, and he soon had to rely more on Nadia to help support their marriage, which would quickly lead to children. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. Cohen was released because he was not linked with the underground. But his knowledge of the Arab language and Arab culture, as well as prior work in espionage in Egypt, made him a good candidate for the Mossad. [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. His captors later remarked on his noble bearing and his courage despite the horrific Syrian interrogation methods. The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. The Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence service, plans to name one of the buildings in its compound after Eli Cohen - its spy in Syria who was caught in Damascus, tried, convicted and executed 40 years ago. Get email notification for articles from Yossi Melman, Reproduction of an Israeli stamp being issued to honour the Mossad intelligence agency spy Eli Cohen who was hanged in Damascus. In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. He would entertain high-ranking politicians and military officials at extravagant parties where there would be many women and lots of booze. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". Cohen was convicted of espionage. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. [11], The Mossad recruited Cohen after Director-General Meir Amit, looking for a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government, came across his name while looking through the agency's files of rejected candidates, after none of the current candidates seemed suitable for the job. I want him (Yossi Cohen) to clarify what hapepned," said the 84-year-old. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. To no avail. [12][16], In 2016, a Syrian group calling itself "Syrian art treasures" posted a video on Facebook showing Cohen's body after his execution. Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family.