If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. The condom was used as a timing tool for mixed chemicals and produce a minor burst of fire. 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. "We have six grandchildren," she says with pride as she points to a family photo on the wall. The information he had been providing them for years was too good to forego. The message was passed on to the Syrians, who arrested Cohen. thus Israel needed an agent in Damascus (Sami Micheal, Nadia Cohen's brother was recruited. 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. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. But changes were taking place in the Syrian Government that alarmed Eli. In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. The drunk guests would often end up blabbing about their work to Cohen, who was sober but would pretend to be intoxicated. 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 mother. The Syrians have consistently refused to do so. Learn more. Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. 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. 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. Elis friendship with Amin al-Hafez proved very valuable. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. [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. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. Recruitment into the Mossad. She smiles. He made friends with many of the guests and ended up receiving classified military briefings and visiting Syrian military sites. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. 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. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. 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. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. Eli was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. [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. According to Maurice Cohen, this really happened. Diplomats, prime ministers, parliamentarians, and Pope Paul VI tried to intercede. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. But he refused). 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. 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. Thats when he met Nadia Majald, an Iraqi-born Jewish woman who lived near his brother and his wife. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. The previous year, which marked Elis 50th death anniversary, Nadia had addressed a memorial dedicated to him. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. After weeks of surveillance, he was finalized and was put to training. Nadia was told that Eli was working for the ministry of defense and would be completely safe. In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. [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. Before leaving, Cohen assured his wife it would be his last trip before he returned home permanently. 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. Based on the eucalyptus trees, Israel knew exactly where the Syrian fortifications were. Nadia, understandably, has remained fixated on her loss. ", "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? Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. 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. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. However, running a double agent is considered to be one of the most complex missions in intelligence work. The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. The three major tributaries of the upper Jordan River the Dan, the Baniyas, and the Hatzbani all originate in the Golan. "You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. 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. He then underwent a show trial, like the Operation Susannah spies had in Egypt 12 years before., Like them, his verdict was predetermined. Already a member? [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. 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. Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents. She also said she understood and respected the show. However, Eli's loyalty was scrutinized, and he faced harassment by the 'Muslim Brotherhood.' There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. In order to capture the Golan Heights during the 1967 Six-Day War, Israeli soldiers had to knock out a number of well-fortified Syrian outposts. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. "There was great excitement because it is essentially the only item of dad that came back, we have nothing. The Spy, which was released Friday, tells the story of Cohen, who spied for Israel in Syria during the 1960s, providing valuable intelligence that was said to have greatly assisted the Israeli military in the 1967 Six Day War. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. His new friends introduced Eli to top government officials, senior army officers, and leaders of the ruling party. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. 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. Another tutor trained him to speak Arabic. Eli was arrested but soon released due to a lack of evidence. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. In the name of the Syrian Arab people, The Military court has decided in its meeting which was held on Muharram 7th, 1385 - May 8th, 1965 to sentence Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, a resident of Tel Aviv in Occupied Palestine, to death for committing the following crimes: The crime of disguised entry into a military location. 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. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. [7] Cohen is married, has four children and lives in Holon. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. I give you my blessing. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: , Arabic: ; 6 December 1924 18 May 1965), commonly known as Eli Cohen, was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. he supplies Eli with inside information about the political and military situation. 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). 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. According to Scheffeldt, Cohen and al-Gamal were arrested together in 1954 and released shortly after. Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. His last wish was to see a rabbi. Hence, Nissim Andabo, the elderly chief rabbi of Syria accompanied him to Marjeh Square.. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. Hes a trusted friend.. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. 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. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. In 1951, he was arrested and interrogated over his Jewish and Zionist activities that he was carrying out under the tutelage of Alexandria's chief rabbi. He had also participated in various Israeli furtive operations in the country during the 1950s. The location of Cohen's body remains unknown. For 19 years, Jewish settlements in the north were under constant threat of Syrian guns. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. Eli studied at a local Jewish community school and then attended the 'University of Alexandria' to study electrical engineering. 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. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. He escaped punishment due to lack of evidence. 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. Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. He did not object, in fact, to the idea of a ladies man reputation. [30], Cohen has become a national hero in Israel, and many streets and neighborhoods have been named for him. 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. Maurice isn't sure what this means. The following year, Syria found out about Cohen by tracing his intelligence transmissions to Israel. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. 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. "It was all for good intentions. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. Hafiz ordered Cohen's execution after he was convicted of espionage in 1965. In early 1961, Chaim Herzog, Chief of Military Intelligence and later president of Israel, signed the document authorizing Cohens use as a spy. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service.

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