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. 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. Nadia, however, never remarried. 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. Periodically Eli would return to Israel to speak with his Israeli handlers and visit his wife and small children. For his loyalties, Hafiz grooms Thaabet to be deputy defense minister in his government. Based on the eucalyptus trees, Israel knew exactly where the Syrian fortifications were. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.". I understand and respect [it], she said in a separate interview earlier Sunday with the network. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant.
The Story of Eli Cohen, the Israeli Superspy Who Almost Became Syria's After a few months, Eli was visited by George Salem Seif, a radio show host in charge of radio Damascus broadcast for Syrian abord. The Ba'athist coup and Eli Cohen's role. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. 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.
Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: Netflix drama 'raises my blood pressure' Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. 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. [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. Cohen went undercover in Syria as Kamel Amin Thaabet in the early 1960s, aligned himself with key military and government personnel and fed intel back to Israel. Cohen had aided the unit and was implicated, but they found no link between him and the perpetrators. Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter.
Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story - Refinery29 She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. When the Golan was captured in 1967, at almost the end of the Six-Day War, settlers in the north could finally feel relieved. 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. 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. 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. 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. "My darling Nadia, and my dear family,I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever.I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. 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.
Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents.
Fifty-Five Years without Eli Cohen | Tuvia Book | The Blogs 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. Eli himself was not above the spicier part of a spys life either. He took on the name Kamel Amin Thaabet and went to live in Argentina for some time to build a name for himself in the Syrian expat community. The new Ba'ath government initially installed Lu'ay al-Atassi as president in March 1963. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family.
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. The Syrians and their Russian advisers were alarmed by the intelligence that was seeping out of the country. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. 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. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. In the short periods he came home he wanted to absorb all the love from his children, he even smelt their scent to stay with him, and he wanted to give all the love possible, like a father to his children. One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. On January 25, 2000, Nadia presented a picture of a new postage stamp with Elis face, to Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, honoring her husband. The complete trust Cohen enjoyed among his unwitting informants is illustrated by the following incident, which might have serious consequences for the Israeli agents.
Cohen accepted the calling. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. The Syrian project to divert water from the headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel was mentioned already in the above introduction. 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. Confused, he took the case to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the official responsible for supervising New Zealand's two main intelligence agencies, telling him he could have solved the 53-year-old mystery. Scheffeldt said that her husband never revealed his true identity, and she learned of it only after a television series aired in Egypt that described him as a national hero. 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 reminded me of my father sometimes, she added. [9] The governments of Belgium, Canada, and France tried to persuade the Syrian government to commute the death sentence,[25] but the Syrians refused. Eli's handlers were continually persuading him to return. 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. She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? 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. 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. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. [26], Monthir Maosily, the former bureau chief of Hafez Al-Assad, claimed in August 2008 that the Syrians had buried him three times to stop the remains from being taken back to Israel via a special operation. He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. He became a confidante of George Saif, high up in the Ministry of Information. thus Israel needed an agent in Damascus (Sami Micheal, Nadia Cohen's brother was recruited. On May 15, 1965, Eli wrote a final letter to Nadia, requesting her not to mourn his death and stating that she should hold her head high, as her husband had done nothing wrong. He made friends who moved in highly influential Syrian circles, transmitting his findings back to Israel via radio. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. In Episode 5, Maurice puts the clues together when he covers for the regular analyst that communicates with Cohen using Morse code. 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 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. It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. The condom was used as a timing tool for mixed chemicals and produce a minor burst of fire. In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. 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. After several days, Eli got a new identity as.
Eli Cohen's daughter lukewarm on 'The Spy,' but likes Sacha Baron Cohen At times before the civil war, the Syrians used Israels northern border with Lebanon to harass Israel the way they used to from the Golan Heights. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. they made great efforts to locate the secret transmission to Israel with help of Soviet-made equipment, in January 1965 they got success. Thanks". What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. He then underwent a show trial, like the Operation Susannah spies had in Egypt 12 years before., Like them, his verdict was predetermined. Elis connections enabled him to be taken to the Golan Heights a major strategic asset for Syria from 1948-67. Egypt has the strongest of the Arab countries and sworn enamy if Israel with the decision to evacuate Egypt, modern bases, airfield, and huge stores of equipment and war material would fall into the Egyptian army. In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. His widow mentioned that the watch was up for sale months earlier, and Mossad managed to capture it. 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. There he met members of the Jewish Underground, handled by Unit 131 of Israel's Military Intelligence, which was exposed by the Egyptians in 1954. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot.
'Disturbing' footage emerges from famed Israeli spy's execution in Cohen later. Nadia, understandably, has remained fixated on her loss. 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.
The Syrians have consistently refused to do so. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. She smiles. They had three children, Sophie, Irit, and Shai. He set up a travel agency in Tel Aviv and developed ties with the upper echelons of Israeli society, including politicians. one after the other 69 people were arrested. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. Warning: This article contains spoilers for all six episodes of The Spy. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. In addition, the commander of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani trusted no one and disliked Eli. The daughter of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen said Sunday "it hurt" to watch the new Netflix series about her father's life and execution in Syria, lamenting some historical inaccuracies in. The agent replied: "Will do, thanks K". One day Cohen was sitting in Saifs office reading a classified document while the Syrian was on the phone. His graduate report stated that he had all the qualities needed to become a katsa, or field agent.
In Episode 5, Cohen's playboy-esque Thaabet hosts a sex party at his apartment to distract key government and military officials while the Ba'ath Party's military committee seizes power in Damascus. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. The Spy is streaming globally on Netflix. Were they not interested? Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? He was eventually exposed and captured by Syrian Intelligence in 1965, sentenced to death and hung at Damascus' main square. The execution was recorded on 35mm film.
Eli Cohen - Wikipedia Since then, Nadia has always counted on him.
Eli Cohen - Jewish Virtual Library Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. The message was passed on to the Syrians, who arrested 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. A number were only released 14 years later, after the 1967 War. [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. She also said she understood and respected the show. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. The border with Syria was heating up as well. "It works with a range of international intelligence agencies,'' the NZSIS said in response. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. By Lianne Back. 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. 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. In 1960, Cohen was approached by the Mossad for a mission in Syria. I give you my blessing. 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. 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. He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. 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. 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. [18], Cohen made repeated visits to the southern frontier zone, providing photographs and sketches of Syrian positions. You're not alone. These skills were instrumental in ensuring the safety and survival of one Kamal Amin Taabet: Eli Cohens new identity. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. Once Cohen had established his background, he was inserted into the "target country," Syria, and operated with great success for four years until his capture. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Military Stories site will provide you the latest News related to military. The newly appointed Syrian intelligence colonel, Ahmed Su'edani, disliked Eli. he supplies Eli with inside information about the political and military situation. (PMO), Sacha Baron Cohen as Israeli spy Eli Cohen in The Spy (YouTube screenshot), Mossad spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria in 1965. Another tutor trained him to speak Arabic. Eli Cohen provided an incredible amount of intelligence data to the Israeli Army over a period of three years. "The moment that they informed me [of the watch's recovery] my mouth went dry and I got the chills," Nadia told Israeli TV. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) - A Netflix drama about Israeli spy Eli Cohen, who infiltrated the Syrian government in the 1960s and was later executed, has received a . Before he was executed, Cohen met with a rabbi, as per his request, and sent his wife a letter. But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. A New Zealander claiming to the son of a former Syrian president, says he knows the whereabouts of the executed Israeli spy's remains, according to a report on New Zealand news service Newshub on Sunday. 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.
What Netflix's 'The Spy' Gets Wrong About Eli Cohen I had gotten under his cover," said Maurice Cohen.
'The Spy' Creator Gideon Raff on the True, 'Heartbreaking' Love Story He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. 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. In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. After some months, Abdel Latif Hassan introduces Eli to General Amin El-Hafez, the military attache at the embassy.