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[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. Nine months later, in late 1961, Eli came back to Israel for a visit with his wife Nadia. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document? he angrily asked Saif. Did you spend your weekend binge-watching Netflix's taut thriller, The Spy? Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. In real life, the closeness between Hafiz and Cohen has been disputed by the former president of Syria, who claimed in a 2001 interview with Al Jazeera that they couldn't have met in Buenos Aires because Hafiz was in Moscow until 1962, by which time Cohen had gone undercover as Thaabet in Damascus. If you've already watched all of The Spy and are curious to know more about Cohen, then these accounts of the real-life Cohen might make for curious reading. Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. Eli seemed to have completed the final stage in establishing his network. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. According to Scheffeldt, Cohen and al-Gamal were arrested together in 1954 and released shortly after. Israeli spy who was captured and executed in Syria, that enabled them to destroy the equipment prepared for the task, "Israel's Secret Operation to Recover the Watch of a Legendary Spy", "Rumors fly that body of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen was found", "Eli Cohen, notre agent "top secret" Damas", "Mossad's master of deception: the astounding true story of Israeli super-spy Eli Cohen", Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: Netflix drama 'raises my blood pressure', "Unending agony for legendary spy Eli Cohen and his widow", "Israel's secret war against Hitler's scientists", "The History of Elie Cohen: An Egyptian Jew who became Israel's greatest spy", "Will Israel's superspy finally rest in peace? 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.. In February 2007, the Turkish government offered to act as a mediator for their return. This material may not be republished without the permission of the copyright owner. love of country, sacrifice and about his life and my life, my children." . [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. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. In 1965, the Syrian secret service was on high alert. It takes just a few seconds. Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. 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. You're not alone. In December 1956, the Jewish Agency assisted Eli to deport to Israel in a vessel. Eli Cohenbecame certain that Israel had spied in the Syrian government. [5] He studied at Cairo Farouk University. He ultimately complied. The True Story Behind The Spy on Netflix | Time 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. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. 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. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. He did not object, in fact, to the idea of a ladies man reputation. 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. For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. 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. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. 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. He reminded me of my father sometimes, she added. 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. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. Al-Gamal, for his part, adopted the Jewish identity of Jacques Biton and immigrated to Israel from France on the orders of Egyptian intelligence. Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. Eli expressed his fear and wish to terminate his assignment in Syria during his last visit to Israel in November 1964. Intelligence officers who investigated the issue offered two possibilities: The first is that it was Egyptian intelligence that identified Cohen and gave him up to the Syrians; the second, which is considered more probable, is that the demand for information was so great that frequent communications via radio to Mossad headquarters exposed Cohen to Syrian counterintelligence. 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. The new Ba'ath government initially installed Lu'ay al-Atassi as president in March 1963. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. Eli studied at a local Jewish community school and then attended the 'University of Alexandria' to study electrical engineering. 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. Revealed: The Plan to Expand the Israeli Knesset by More Than Double, Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. Eli started transmitting his message to Israel daily at 8 a.m. After six months kamal Amin tabet become well known. 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. 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. He worked as an accountant and translator. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. Asked to pinpoint what she found not to be reflective of her familys experience, Ben-Dor cited the ethnic gap, noting her mother was never a maid as was portrayed in the series. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? thus Israel needed an agent in Damascus (Sami Micheal, Nadia Cohen's brother was recruited. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. Eli's wife Nadia, played by Hadar Ratzon Rotem, has to deal with raising two children without her husband, who disappears for up to a year at a time without being allowed to tell her what he's actually doing or even where he is. Decades after the Eli Cohen affair there are still many questions, some minor, others major - among them, the way in which Syrian counterintelligence identified the Israeli spy (from the archive). 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. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. "I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has past," his final letter read. [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. I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. Nadia, understandably, has remained fixated on her loss. This week, KAN 11 began broadcasting a documentary series "Lochem 566," (Fighter 566, Cohen's Mossad codename). 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. While Eli was not directly involved with the Operation Susannah spies, he was involved with pro-Israel activity, and he was brutally questioned by Egypts Intelligence Services. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future! [9] The governments of Belgium, Canada, and France tried to persuade the Syrian government to commute the death sentence,[25] but the Syrians refused. 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. 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. Two of them were Abraham and Maurice. He says the spies wanted him to try and talk to his father's close friends or provide insight. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? he supplies Eli with inside information about the political and military situation. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. 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. The spy who never came home - The Jewish Chronicle One day in 1960 Israeli Intelligence approached him about working for them again. (PMO), Sacha Baron Cohen as Israeli spy Eli Cohen in The Spy (YouTube screenshot), Mossad spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria in 1965. Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). Hafiz ordered Cohen's execution after he was convicted of espionage in 1965. Eli did go back to Syria, but his behavior changed. His successes couldn't be vocally shared with his family, however. Eli's handlers were continually persuading him to return. On July 5, 2018, media channels announced that Elis wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria, which was later given back to Eli's family by 'Mossad' in a ceremony. 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. Israeli spy's widow 'hurt' by Netflix biopic, but welcomes publicity The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. soon Israel's tanks and cannon riposted with heavy fire, and minutes later mirage pounded the Syrian position and blasted the cannon of Syria that was dug. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. We may recall the Egyptian-Jewish spies from the Operation Susannah fiasco. I was more worried, Ben-Dor said of hearing that Cohen, who is known for playing comedic figures such as Borat, would star in the series. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. At Kfar Habad, on July 29, 1977, at the joint Bar Mitzvah for 100 fatherless boys, in the presence of Prime Minister. In 1960, the national intelligence agency of Israel, 'Mossad,' approached Eli for a classified mission in Syria. 'Disturbing' footage emerges from famed Israeli spy's execution in By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. one after the other 69 people were arrested. He was sentenced to death. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. What Netflix's 'The Spy' Gets Wrong About Eli Cohen I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. But changes were taking place in the Syrian Government that alarmed Eli. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. In a display of generosity, the tabet contributed some money to build a public kitchen for the poor of Damascus. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. His work bored him and he attempted to join the Mossad, but he was offended when the Mossad rejected him, and he resigned from military counter-intelligence. When the Baath took power in 1963, Eli was firmly entrenched in Syrian high society. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. [8], Israel's secret police recruited a sabotage unit of Jewish Egyptian citizens in 1955 which attempted to undermine Egypt's relationships with western powers in the "Lavon Affair". 4 Min Read. Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Scheffeldt, 63, is the widow of Rifa'at al-Gamal, an Egyptian spy who reportedly operated in Israel for a number of years. Israel desperately tried to have his sentence commuted, and despite requests from world leaders and Pope Paul VI for clemency, Cohen was hanged publicly in May of that year. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. After several days, Eli got a new identity as. Meir even appealed to the Soviet Union. I give you my blessing. From 1948 until 1967, Syria firing mortar shells from the Syrian occupied Golan Heights into the Jewish settlements of the Upper Galilee below. It was approved by, The head of the presidency council on 17/5/1965, Top 10 Weakest Militaries in the World | The Bahamas, Central African Republic, The Gambia,Barbados, Somalia, Luxembourg military power, MiG-29 vs. Su-27: The Soviet Union's Two Top Fighters Went Head to Head in an East African Air War, Ravindra Kaushik RAW Agent ( Black Tiger) Wife, son, Death reason, | Facts about Ravindra Kaushik | Ravindra Kaushik Movie, Israel's Iron Dome Vs S-400 Russian Comparison, Price, Success Rate | Iron Dome vs S400 which is better, Top amazing facts about RAW and Agent : History, Foundation, Joining , Department of RAW, Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his wife and Children | Eli Cohen death writing translation | george seif syria. He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents. [4] His father had moved there from Aleppo in 1914. Israel has had a quiet northern border on the Golan with the exception of some occasional fallout from the Syrian civil war for more than 40years. 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. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. She also said she understood and respected the show. Cohen wasnt allowed tell anyone of the plans and told his wife that he was working abroad for Israels Defense Ministry. Israel could be the target of an aggressive attack by a larger, better Egyptian army that wanted to avenge its shameful defect in the Israel Independence War. He remembered and passed on to Israeli Intelligence the positioning of every Syrian gun, trench, and machine-gun nest in each Golan Heights fortification; tank traps, designed to impede any Israeli attack, were also identified and memorized for future targeting.. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. 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. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Maurice isn't sure what this means. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. 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. While undercover in Argentina in The Spy, Cohen struggles to resist drafting her notes, even if it puts him in danger. Eli Cohen, the spy who was larger than life - The Jerusalem Post Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. He became a confidante of George Saif, high up in the Ministry of Information. Irit does not know her father. He emigrated to Israel with the assistance of the Jewish Agency. 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 hierarchy and became the chief adviser to the country's defense minister. By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. 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. In 'The Spy,' Sacha Baron Cohen Gets Serious : NPR (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. Double Agent's Widow Offers New Take on Eli Cohen Affair Eli was arrested but soon released due to a lack of evidence. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. Elis connections enabled him to be taken to the Golan Heights a major strategic asset for Syria from 1948-67. "The moment that they informed me [of the watch's recovery] my mouth went dry and I got the chills," Nadia told Israeli TV. Periodically Eli would return to Israel to speak with his Israeli handlers and visit his wife and small children. It, however, did not change the situation. But as with all fictional works that derive from real-life events, The Spy, perhaps for reasons ranging from time constraints to story relevance, omits some points in Cohen's story. 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. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. He continued his social life, spending a lot of time in cafes listening to political gossip. 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 wasnt even drafted into regular service but was placed in a reserve Israeli Air Force formation as a logistics clerk. Perhaps he wasnt allowed into the security service due to his Military Intelligence evaluation some years before. They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.". I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. 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. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. [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. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. The information he had been providing them for years was too good to forego. Nadia was told that Eli was working for the ministry of defense and would be completely safe. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. Even after the blown operation led to the demise of the Operation Susannah spies, Eli Cohen left Egypt for Israel to undergo intensive espionage training in the summer of 1955. But within a month he had lost his Tel Aviv-based accountancy job. Thats when he met Nadia Majald, an Iraqi-born Jewish woman who lived near his brother and his wife. At the age of 41, Cohen was hanged in Damascus in front of a crowd of 10,000. 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? 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 made friends with many of the guests and ended up receiving classified military briefings and visiting Syrian military sites. Sacha Baron Cohen-led limited series "The Spy" which comes out today on Netflix tells the true story of how famed Israeli Mossad agent Eli Cohen went undercover in 1960s Syria. Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. 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. In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. [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. 'I know where Eli Cohen is buried,' says alleged son of ex - ynetnews children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxhaPGREa74. He worked as an accountant and translator. He had an input into and an impact on Syrian national defense and was privy to almost all their secrets. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. In 2019, Netflix created the seriesThe SpystarringSacha Baron Cohen to tell his story. Meanwhile, every few days he transmitted important information to his Israeli handlers via a radio transmitter he had hidden in his room. [13][14] In Buenos Aires he moved among the Arab community, letting it be known he had large amounts of money to put at the disposal of the Syrian Ba'ath Party. 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. [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. 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. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. Syria has not even disclosed the location of Eli's grave. 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. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. By Lianne Back. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. 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. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. Eli Cohenalso learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. 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. Eli had lost his friends, in 1957 he immigrates to Israel. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. References ^ Eli Cohen Knesset ^ Eli Cohen Ministry of Economy and Industry ^ Kulanu list Central Elections Committee The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. 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. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? 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.

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