One day in 1960 Israeli Intelligence approached him about working for them again. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. His widow mentioned that the watch was up for sale months earlier, and Mossad managed to capture it. 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 addition, the commander of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani trusted no one and disliked Eli. He also held parties at his home for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others. Cohen's brothers Abraham and Maurice led a campaign to return his remains; Maurice died in 2006, and Nadia now leads it. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. [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. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. . The location of Cohen's body remains unknown. If indeed Biton was a double agent - and Israeli intelligence prides itself on the quality of his work - then it is difficult to believe that he exposed Cohen. The watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. One of the ministrys directors entered the room unannounced. In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. 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. She once called her children and four grandchildren to her home in Herzliya, clicked a photo of them together, and sent it to Assad, congratulating him on the birth of his son, Bashar. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. Eli was friends with two highly placed Army officers, Colonels Hatoum and Dali, who were fully informed about the scheme. By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. His new friends introduced Eli to top government officials, senior army officers, and leaders of the ruling party. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. 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. 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. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924, the second of eight children in a family of orthodox Jews. Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? But in 1965, he was unmasked. 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. I give you my blessing. Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. Israel has for decades worked to retrieve his remains. Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? In February 2007, the Turkish government offered to act as a mediator for their return. He was hanged on May 18, 1965. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. The highly vigilant Russian security experts, equipped with very sensitive technical intelligence-gathering equipment, pinpointed the source of the transmissions in the Syrian capital and it was Elis home. 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. To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. The spy who never came home - The Jewish Chronicle 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. 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.. Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. 'I know where Eli Cohen is buried,' says alleged son of ex - ynetnews The crime of obtaining secret information is kept hidden to ensure the safety of the country to benefit the enemy. 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. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. He would entertain high-ranking politicians and military officials at extravagant parties where there would be many women and lots of booze. 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. 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. The president was ousted from power a year later in 1966. But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. The agent replied: "Will do, thanks K". Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. The condom was used as a timing tool for mixed chemicals and produce a minor burst of fire. Today, one can see the former Syrian bunkers that remain on the Golan Heights from 1967 (as well as the tanks from 1973). (Haim Zach/GPO). Its unfamiliar to me, this form of expression in a global television series. They had three children, Sophie, Irit, and Shai. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. After some months, Abdel Latif Hassan introduces Eli to General Amin El-Hafez, the military attache at the embassy. your father and uncle opened a textile store, but it went bankrupt your father died in 1956 and six months later your mother died too. Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). 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. "I want to ask wasn't Eli worth the price? She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. [11] Start with Mossad [ edit] [7] Cohen is married, has four children and lives in Holon. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. ", "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? He then left the university and continued his studies at home. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. 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. Offended, he resigned from military counterintelligence and took up a clerical job in a Tel Aviv insurance office. "Sophie's. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. 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. 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. Ahead of the mission, Cohen had to learn to speak Arabic in a Syrian accent rather than his native Egyptian. In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. [27] Syrian authorities have repeatedly denied family requests for the remains. 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. 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. 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. [19] He also learned of a secret plan to create three successive lines of bunkers and mortars; the Israel Defense Forces would otherwise have expected to encounter only a single line. In 1961, Eli was sent to Buenos Aires in the guise of a Syrian textile businessman. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. Nadia Cohen - Life Story of Widow of Israeli Spy Eli Cohen - Facts Ninja one after the other 69 people were arrested. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . His fathers name was Amin Taabet, and his mothers Saadia Ibrahim. 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. According to Maurice Cohen, this really happened. You're not alone. Syria brought hydraulic engineers and diversion equipment to actualize the scheme. Show creator Gideon Raff's limited series has brought renewed attention to the life and work of Eli Cohen. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". 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. Elis connections enabled him to be taken to the Golan Heights a major strategic asset for Syria from 1948-67. Eli Cohen - Jewish Virtual Library 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. The following year, Syria found out about Cohen by tracing his intelligence transmissions to Israel. Al-Hafidh wanted a million dollars for his services, texting: "1M for the minimum for kick start. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. But even after four decades, there are still many questions related to the Eli Cohen affair, some minor, others major - among them, the way in which Syrian counterintelligence identified the Israeli spy. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. Eli Cohen | My Jewish Learning Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Hes a trusted friend.. Cohen accepted the calling. A number were only released 14 years later, after the 1967 War. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. 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. But he refused). By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. This material may not be republished without the permission of the copyright owner. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. 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. 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 This coincided with the continuance of Palestinian terrorist infiltrators arriving from the Syrian border, along with a continual flow of Soviet technical assistance to Syria. He also held parties at his home, which turned into orgies for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others, who used Elis apartment for assignations with various women, including Defense Ministry secretaries, airline hostesses, and Syrian singing stars. At these parties such highly-placed officials would talk freely of their work and army plans. "It was all for good intentions. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. In the fifties, Israel had launched a project of huge pipeline and canals that would carry a part of the jorden river water to the arid Negev region. Eli Cohen, Israels most famous spy, also happened to be a hopeless romantic. 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. Israeli foreign minister Golda Meir led a campaign urging Damascus to consider the consequences of hanging him. The Syrian project to divert water from the headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel was mentioned already in the above introduction. 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. "Soon after, my commanding officers summoned me to my base and informed me that Eli had spoken to them about the phone number incident. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. 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. In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. In the fifties, Israel had launched a project of huge pipeline and canals that would carry a part of the jorden river water to the arid Negev region. He then moved to Damascus in February 1962, under his new identity, Kamel Amin Thaabet, to extract classified information from Syrian military officers. Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. In the interview, she said that her husband left behind memoirs, notes and other evidence. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Defense Minister Ezer Weizmann, Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, and several Mossad operatives all attended his son's Bar Mitzvah in 1977. One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Again, I. 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. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. He made friends who moved in highly influential Syrian circles, transmitting his findings back to Israel via radio. Before he was executed, Cohen met with a rabbi, as per his request, and sent his wife a letter. 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. 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. 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. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. Diplomats, prime ministers, parliamentarians, and Pope Paul VI tried to intercede. In November that year, Nadia, wrote to Syrian politician and former president of Syria (19712000) Hafez al-Assad, asking him to forgive Eli and requesting him to hand over her husbands remains. The Syrians have consistently refused to do so. Eli Cohen (pictured, at center) was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents who had immigrated to Alexandria from Aleppo, Syria. In Episode 5, Maurice puts the clues together when he covers for the regular analyst that communicates with Cohen using Morse code. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. Eli, who would feign intoxication, remained sober and listened carefully., In addition to providing loans to government officials and acting as an avid host, he was asked for advice by government officials, who were often intoxicated by the alcohol he freely provided. However, running a double agent is considered to be one of the most complex missions in intelligence work. He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story - Refinery29 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. "Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!". Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. 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. 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. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. 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. 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. 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. She also said she understood and respected the show. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. 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. Eli had to conceal the microfilm inexpensive boxes containing backgammon pieces .the music ornament could be dug out of the polished wood and reinserted after microfilm had been placed in the cavity. 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. The Spy is an aesthetically flawed portrait of Eli Cohen But it . Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents. (PMO), Sacha Baron Cohen as Israeli spy Eli Cohen in The Spy (YouTube screenshot), Mossad spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria in 1965. Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements He had an input into and an impact on Syrian national defense and was privy to almost all their secrets. The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. The Spy, a six-part Netflix miniseries about Cohen's life, showcases the legendary Mossad agent's relationship with his wife, Nadia (Hadar Ratzon Rotem). He was convicted in a trial without a defense and sentenced to death. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. A devout Jew, Cohen wore tefillin during prayer, in his youth he planned of becoming a Rabbi with the backup of Moise Ventura (1893-1978), Chief Rabbi of Alexandria but the Rabbinical School closed down. "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. I want him (Yossi Cohen) to clarify what hapepned," said the 84-year-old. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. 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.". The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. [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. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. He emigrated to Israel with the assistance of the Jewish Agency. Cohen wasnt allowed tell anyone of the plans and told his wife that he was working abroad for Israels Defense Ministry. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have.