Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. The watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. One day Cohen was sitting in Saifs office reading a classified document while the Syrian was on the phone. Incorrect password. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. He would also lend money to government officials, and many came to him for advice. 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. Eli Cohenhad 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. He had seventeen lovers in Syria, all dazzling beauties with a fair degree of family power. Eli hoped as did Israeli Intelligence that these women would help him escape in time of crisis.. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. 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. He escaped punishment due to lack of evidence. Nadia and 'Mossad' were on bad terms until Meir Dagan was made the agencys chief. Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. He was hanged on May 18, 1965. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. Maurice isn't sure what this means. become close friends. try to make as many friends as possible, and establish contact with Arab leaders. Eli Cohen (politician born 1972) - Wikipedia It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". She smiles. 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. click the link in that email to complete your registration. 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. Nadia Cohen - Life Story of Widow of Israeli Spy Eli Cohen - Facts Ninja In the footsteps of a spy: Exploring the Golan's Eli Cohen Trail Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family. Nadia still holds a grudge against the 'Mossad' handlers who had sent Eli to Syria, an action that had taken him away from her, forever. After the Israel Independence War In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!I send you my last kisses to you and to the children: Sophie, Irit, and Shaoul, and to the rest of my family, especially my motherPlease pray for my soul. Eli himself was not above the spicier part of a spys life either. they suspect on a tablet but they verify the Tibet's transmission two times at 8 am precisely they broke into the tablet home, Eli was caught red-handed in the transmission. (Haim Zach/GPO). They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. I understand and respect [it], she said in a separate interview earlier Sunday with the network. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant. In 'The Spy,' Sacha Baron Cohen Gets Serious : NPR he goes abroad for business and meets Nadia and Sophie in Bat Yam. Eli Cohen | My Jewish Learning Cohen had aided the unit and was implicated, but they found no link between him and the perpetrators. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. I had gotten under his cover," said Maurice Cohen. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. From the creation of Israel through, the present day, Syria has been one, if not the most, implacable of Israels enemies. To no avail. (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. Did you spend your weekend binge-watching Netflix's taut thriller, The Spy? Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. When the Baath took power in 1963, Eli was firmly entrenched in Syrian high society. In November 1964, Tel Dan Syria open fire on Israel tractors in the demilitarized zone. At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. The three major tributaries of the upper Jordan River the Dan, the Baniyas, and the Hatzbani all originate in the Golan. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. Prior to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. "You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. "I was cooperating with the New Zealand Secret Intelligence Service, in cooperation with the Mossad, in order to help find the remains of the Israeli spy Eli Cohen," he said. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. When the Golan was captured in 1967, at almost the end of the Six-Day War, settlers in the north could finally feel relieved. By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. 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. According to Scheffeldt, Cohen and al-Gamal were arrested together in 1954 and released shortly after. Qudsi was ousted from power as a result of the March 8 coup, but Hafiz did not take power until months later. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. [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. Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents, who had migrated to Alexandria from Syria. 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. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. A number were only released 14 years later, after the 1967 War. Eli was friends with two highly placed Army officers, Colonels Hatoum and Dali, who were fully informed about the scheme. 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. he soon became a well-known figure in the Arab circle. Double Agent's Widow Offers New Take on Eli Cohen Affair She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. Al-Gamal, for his part, adopted the Jewish identity of Jacques Biton and immigrated to Israel from France on the orders of Egyptian intelligence. 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. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. But his knowledge of. 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. Revealed: The Plan to Expand the Israeli Knesset by More Than Double, Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen heads to Germany Tuesday as part of Israel's campaign to halt Iran's . One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. What Netflix's 'The Spy' Gets Wrong About Eli Cohen In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. "Sophie's. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. Still Ben-Dor, who was four years old when her father was killed, said she was pleasantly surprised by actor Cohens portrayal. 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. 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. "Suddenly something changed there toward us. 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. Eli was born Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, on December 26, 1924, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt, into a staunch Jewish and Zionist family. 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. In the show, Cohenas Thaabetbefriends Hafiz in Buenos Aires and later in Damascus helps Hafiz's Ba'ath party seize power. in Israel, he found the job of translating weekly and monthly magazines for a man after a few months he was fired. The drunk guests would often end up blabbing about their work to Cohen, who was sober but would pretend to be intoxicated. Syrian counterintelligence eventually uncovered the spy conspiracy and convicted Cohen under pre-war martial law, sentencing him to death and hanging him publicly in 1965. Eli studied at a local Jewish community school and then attended the 'University of Alexandria' to study electrical engineering. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. Eli Cohen was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy best known for his espionage work in the 1960s in Syria, where it was alleged he developed close relationships with the Syrian political and military. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. On the day of his execution, his last wish to see a rabbi was respected by the prison authorities, and Nissim Indibo, the elderly Chief Rabbi of Syria, accompanied him in the truck. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . These skills were instrumental in ensuring the safety and survival of one Kamal Amin Taabet: Eli Cohens new identity. To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. [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. . The information he had been providing them for years was too good to forego. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. In the 1970s, they left Israel for Germany and in 1982, al-Gamal, alias Jacques Biton, died of an illness. 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? 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. 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. [27] Syrian authorities have repeatedly denied family requests for the remains. Cohen later. Cohen expressed fear of discovery to the Mossad on his last secret visit to Israel in November 1964, and he stated that he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. 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. Eli Cohen The Most Successful Name in The History of Espionage 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. Were they not interested? 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. 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. Thats why we started the Times of Israel ten years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. Monthir Maosily, a former bureau chief for Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, claimed in 2007 that Hafiz and Cohen were not as close as was made out and that stories of Cohen infiltrating the very top of Syrian politics "had been exaggerated to undermine Syria, as if he was a spy who had transmitted Syria's deepest secrets.". Egyptian authorities uncovered the spy ring and sentenced two of the members to death. [5] He studied at Cairo Farouk University. 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. 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, 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 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. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements 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. In The Spy, based on the true story of Israeli agent Eli Cohen, comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen takes on a serious role, playing the title character. If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. The border with Syria was heating up as well. From 1948 until 1967, Syria firing mortar shells from the Syrian occupied Golan Heights into the Jewish settlements of the Upper Galilee below. Over the years, her relationship with the Mossad and that of her children, Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg and Shai Cohen, unraveled. In the final episode of The Spy, Cohen's brother Maurice, a Mossad analyst, confronts him after discovering he is the secret Agent 88 in Damascus. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. He says the spies wanted him to try and talk to his father's close friends or provide insight. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. Sacha Baron Cohen in 'The Spy' as Eli Cohen. Despite being away from home for months at a time, he fathered three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai. 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. 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. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. It, however, did not change the situation. Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. The Spy sees a friendship blossoming between Eli Cohen and Amin al-Hafiz, the future president of Syria, that begins as Cohen first goes undercover as Thaabet in Buenos Aires and mutually benefits them both for yearsright through to Cohen's discovery as an Israeli spy and subsequent execution. The melting winter snows produce a huge run-off of water which makes the Golan a beautifully verdant area in the late winter and spring and irrigates the Hula and Jordan Valleys below. 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. You're not alone. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. A year later, in 1965, Cohen was caught transmitting over the radio back to Tel Aviv. Military Stories site will provide you the latest News related to military. By Lianne Back. Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family. Cohen was publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square in Damascus on 18 May 1965. 'I know where Eli Cohen is buried,' says alleged son of ex - ynetnews 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. one after the other 69 people were arrested. 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. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. The text messages between Khalid and the NZSIS. Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. The Arabs would have none of it and decided to divert the sources of the Jordan River which originated in Arab-held territory. In this way, the Arabs hoped to deprive Israel of the waters she would need for her national growth. In 2019, Netflix created the seriesThe SpystarringSacha Baron Cohen to tell his story. Cohen's astonishing undercover career lasted for four years. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. Again, I. One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. 'Disturbing' footage emerges from famed Israeli spy's execution in As the Syrian Army officer explained to Eli the fortifications the Syrian Army had built, Eli suggested that the Syrians plant trees there to deceive the Israelis into thinking it was unfortified, as well as to provide shade and beauty for the soldiers stationed there. Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. On 18 May 1965, Eli cohen was woken by the jailer and fastened the noose, and hang up, the huge poster was fastened on his chest where his sentence was written in Arabic.Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. Nadia was told that Eli was working for the ministry of defense and would be completely safe. [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 Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life, Achievements Nadia Cohen attempted to appeal for clemency at the Syrian Embassy in Paris but was turned away. He worked as an accountant. [11] Start with Mossad [ edit] Khalid al-Hafidh, a Syrian migrant living in Auckland, claims to be the son Amin al-Hafiz, a Syrian leader who presided over the country during Cohen's execution and his subsequent secret burial. He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel.