In exchange for his freedom, he agreed to work for Egypt's intelligence service. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. He took on the name Kamel Amin Thaabet and went to live in Argentina for some time to build a name for himself in the Syrian expat community. All these years, I remained faithful to him. Instead, he joined the Egyptian merchant marine and was involved in a number of scams, which resulted in his arrest by the Egyptian secret service in 1952. In the 1987 TV movie 'The Impossible Spy,' Michal Bat-Adam portrayed Nadia, while in the 2019 'Netflix' series 'The Spy,' Hadar Ratzon-Rotem played her, with Sacha Baron Cohen as Eli. 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. [9], Syria refused to return Cohen's body to his family in Israel, and his wife Nadia sent a letter to Amin al-Hafiz in November 1965 asking his forgiveness for Cohen's actions and requesting his remains. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. 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. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. Fiyaz Mughal,Eli Cohens body must be returned to Israel, The JC, (Undated). In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. On April 15, 2019, a few Israeli news agencies published unconfirmed reports of Eli's remains being recovered in Syria and stated that the remains were with a Russian delegation. [18], Cohen made repeated visits to the southern frontier zone, providing photographs and sketches of Syrian positions. Later, visiting his sister-in-law, Cohen's wife Nadia, he notices that she has a brand new Singer sewing machine in her home. Every morning, Eli would leave home and head for the Aman training center. The Syrians and their Russian advisers were alarmed by the intelligence that was seeping out of the country. In November 1965, Eli's wife wrote to Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad, requesting him to send Elis remains back to Israel. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. the plan was doomed from staring, one of the bombs exploded in the pocket of Philip Natanson and was arrested by police and other members were caught in the following days. "It was all for good intentions. He was hanged on May 18, 1965. Eli was caught in the act and there was nothing he could do. Nadia and Eli Cohen pictured in the 1960s The 41-year-old was brutally hanged in Marjeh Square in Damascus in front of a crowd of 10,000 people, in May 1965 - and despite his last request to have his body returned to Israel, the Syrian authorities have to this day never disclosed the whereabouts of his remains. Given their history of a paper trail, its fitting but heartbreaking to learn that their final exchange also took place over written correspondence. After his execution, a white parchment filled with anti-Zionist writing was put on his body, and he was left hanging for six hours. Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. Haaretz.com, the online English edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, gives you breaking news, analyses and opinions about Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. 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. Likud MK Eli Cohen Federation of Local Authorities conference in Tel Aviv, December 8, 2022. 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. It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. [7][9] The Israel Defense Forces recruited him in 1957 and placed him in military intelligence, where he became a counter-intelligence analyst. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . The Spy is streaming globally on Netflix. He also requested her to remarry so that their children would have a father and she would have a partner. I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. But an interview published in the Cairo Times yesterday with the German-born Weltrude Scheffeldt-Biton suggests that Egyptian intelligence played the most important role in unmasking Cohen. Cohen was convicted of espionage. The three major tributaries of the upper Jordan River the Dan, the Baniyas, and the Hatzbani all originate in the Golan. Diplomats, prime ministers, parliamentarians, and Pope Paul VI tried to intercede. After several days, Eli got a new identity as. Cohen was publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square in Damascus on 18 May 1965. He was promised support in any venture he might wish to undertake, and the generous sums of cash which he appeared to possess appealed to the unscrupulous who thought he could provide grease to their financial ambitions, as well as patriotic Syrians who hoped for an infusion of foreign capital into the Syrian state. By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. [24], Following the 1963 Syrian coup d'tat, newly appointed Syrian Intelligence Colonel Ahmed Suidani disliked Cohen and did not trust figures close to the Second Syrian Republic. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. "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 Syria's Jewish community, in particular." Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. [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. 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 The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. The Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. "He began writing the number but stopped abruptly and, looking flushed and flustered, mumbled under his breath about needing to run out to the supermarket before it closed. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. Syria brought hydraulic engineers and diversion equipment to actualize the scheme. In an interview with Newshub, Al-Hafidh now says he is willing to reveal the information without the financial reward, as long as the Cohen's relatives finally have their peace. 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. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. Nadia Cohen attempted to appeal for clemency at the Syrian Embassy in Paris but was turned away. 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. The unit bombed unoccupied American and British installations, expecting that this would be considered the work of Egyptians. For 19 years, Jewish settlements in the north were under constant threat of Syrian guns. His fathers name was Amin Taabet, and his mothers Saadia Ibrahim. Elis friendship with Amin al-Hafez proved very valuable. Al-Hafidh claims he was in negotiations with the Mossad to reveal the information, but wanted $1million for his services which the intelligence agency refused to pay. According to Maurice Cohen, this really happened. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. He even trained at the same facility that had served as home to his doomed Susannah compatriots in 1953. He returned to Egypt in 1956 but was suspected immediately and was placed under surveillance. 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. He then underwent a show trial, like the Operation Susannah spies had in Egypt 12 years before., Like them, his verdict was predetermined. The husband hunters among the Damascus rich and influential flocked to the handsome Taabet, hoping that their almond eyes, Byzantine beauty, and olive skin would secure a future of wealth and power: He became the most sought-after bachelor in the Syrian capital. "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. 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. 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. Israel has for decades worked to retrieve his remains. Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. The Syrian project to divert water from the headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel was mentioned already in the above introduction. 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. However, Eli's loyalty was scrutinized, and he faced harassment by the 'Muslim Brotherhood.' Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, Defense Minister Ezer Weizmann, and many Mossad officials attended Eli's son's bar mitzvah in 1977. 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] 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. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . [12][20][21] Cohen was able to find out that the Syrians planned to divert the Jordan River headwaters in an attempt to deprive Israel of water resources, providing information to Israeli forces that enabled them to destroy the equipment prepared for the task. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. At first, he refused. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. By Lianne Back. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. In December 1956, the Jewish Agency assisted Eli to deport to Israel in a vessel. 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.. But within a month he had lost his Tel Aviv-based accountancy job. later he handed with Syrian passport in name of kamal Amin tabet, he advised to open a bank account in that name and start visiting Arab restaurants, the cinema where Arab movies are shown, and political club. It doesnt fit our story but I understand the situation. If I wanted something, I called, they put me through to him immediately. Kamal Amin Tabet hosted a glamorous party in Damascus, several ministers, a large number of general and colonel, top leaders of the Baath party, businessmen. "Soon after, my commanding officers summoned me to my base and informed me that Eli had spoken to them about the phone number incident. 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. While there are reports that Cohen hosted parties that would devolve into orgies at his apartment, in order to gain the trust of high-level people in power, there's no concrete evidence that he played a role in the March 1963 coup. While undercover in Argentina in The Spy, Cohen struggles to resist drafting her notes, even if it puts him in danger. [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. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. 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. Fortunately, several were easy to spot, for they . ", "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? In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. 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. He then moved to Damascus in February 1962, under his new identity, Kamel Amin Thaabet, to extract classified information from Syrian military officers. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. 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. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. One of the most difficult tasks for Eli Cohen was to learn the intricate and unmistakable phonetic tune of Syrian Arabic; prior to his intelligence training, his Egyptian accent was undeniable. His trainer was an Iraqi-born Jew who had extensive experience training operatives in speaking Arabic and the traditions and Muslim customs. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. His captors later remarked on his noble bearing and his courage despite the horrific Syrian interrogation methods. 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. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. In 1962 Eli cohen was in Damascus with crowded mosques and colorful souks, he rented a luxurious villa in the classy Abu Ramen neighborhood, close to the Syrian embassy. But the series did not give al-Gamal enough credit, she said, and this led her to reveal his memoirs, which he wrote in secret and deposited with a lawyer for safekeeping. Maurice isn't sure what this means. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. After weeks of surveillance, he was finalized and was put to training. For four years, Cohen posed as a Syrian textile businessman named Kamal Amin Thabet, first in Argentina and later in Damascus. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. His graduate report stated that he had all the qualities needed to become a katsa, or field agent. Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anything. Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. In March 1963, General Hafez, Eli's friend was appointed minister of defense in salah Al-Birat's cabinet. He was convicted in a trial without a defense and sentenced to death. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. 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? He ultimately complied. Hes a trusted friend.. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. 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. The agency concluded that Cohen had a high IQ, great bravery, a phenomenal memory, and the ability to keep a secret; but the tests also showed that in spite of his modest appearance, he has an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a lot of internal tension. Cohen, the results indicated, does not always evaluate danger correctly, and is liable to assume risks beyond those which are necessary.. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. He worked as an accountant. Cohen was born in 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Mizrahi Jewish and Zionist family. His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. He would also lend money to government officials, and many came to him for advice. (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. 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. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. become close friends. The six-part drama about Israeli spy Eli Cohen has gripped viewers and critics alike with its pulse-racing tale of espionage and a deceptively good dramatic performance by Sacha Baron Cohen, better known for his comedy work, as the Mossad agent. One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. He made friends who moved in highly influential Syrian circles, transmitting his findings back to Israel via radio. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria. Military Stories site will provide you the latest News related to military.