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. 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. 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.. Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. The film featured John Shea as Eli. When the Golan was captured in 1967, at almost the end of the Six-Day War, settlers in the north could finally feel relieved. 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. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. "We have six grandchildren," she says with pride as she points to a family photo on the wall. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. "I want to ask wasn't Eli worth the price? Eli started transmitting his message to Israel daily at 8 a.m. After six months kamal Amin tabet become well known. From 1961 to 1965, Eli transmitted crucial intelligence data, including that of the Golan Heights, to the Israeli army. Nadia Cohen, widow of executed Israeli spy Eli Cohen, speaks to Channel 2 on September 20, 2016 after Syrian opposition forces release new video showing moments after he was hanged in. Today, one can see the former Syrian bunkers that remain on the Golan Heights from 1967 (as well as the tanks from 1973). In the 1970s, they left Israel for Germany and in 1982, al-Gamal, alias Jacques Biton, died of an illness. The Ba'athist coup and Eli Cohen's role. To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. 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. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. It went wrong, really wrong," he said. "Suddenly something changed there toward us. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. The border with Syria was heating up as well. Cohen accepted the calling. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. "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. 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. Later, visiting his sister-in-law, Cohen's wife Nadia, he notices that she has a brand new Singer sewing machine in her home. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. Scheffeldt, 63, is the widow of Rifa'at al-Gamal, an Egyptian spy who reportedly operated in Israel for a number of years. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. He also held parties at his home for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others. On August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. It hurt. Cohen was caught and eventually executed by Syrian authorities in 1965. One of his friends found a new job as an accountant, month later he Marty with Nadia, a nurse of Iraqi origin. After his execution, a white parchment filled with anti-Zionist writing was put on his body, and he was left hanging for six hours. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Nadia and 'Mossad' were on bad terms until Meir Dagan was made the agencys chief. In the interview, she said that her husband left behind memoirs, notes and other evidence. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. His widow mentioned that the watch was up for sale months earlier, and Mossad managed to capture it. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. Egyptian authorities uncovered the spy ring and sentenced two of the members to death. How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document? he angrily asked Saif. [7] He took part in various Israeli covert operations in the country during the 1950s, although the Egyptian government could never prove his involvement in Operation Goshen, an Israeli operation to smuggle Egyptian Jews out of the country and resettle them in Israel due to increasing hostility in Egypt. 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? While undercover in Argentina in The Spy, Cohen struggles to resist drafting her notes, even if it puts him in danger. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. Cohen expressed fear of discovery to the Mossad on his last secret visit to Israel in November 1964, and he stated that he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. 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 was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. Another tutor trained him to speak Arabic. (Haim Zach/GPO). She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. It, however, did not change the situation. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! The text messages between Khalid and the NZSIS. Eli has been honored as an Israeli national hero, and many streets and neighborhoods have been named after him. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. Despite being away from home for months at a time, he fathered three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai. Since 1992, the Golan has been up for discussion in the peace talks, but it strikes a very emotional chord among Israelis due to its historic and strategic significance, in addition to its natural beauty. Nadia wishes to be buried beside Elis grave. in Israel, he found the job of translating weekly and monthly magazines for a man after a few months he was fired. 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. Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anything. he goes abroad for business and meets Nadia and Sophie in Bat Yam. [18], Cohen made repeated visits to the southern frontier zone, providing photographs and sketches of Syrian positions. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? 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. But his knowledge of. "You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. [7] Cohen is married, has four children and lives in Holon. He died in 2009. For 19 years, Jewish settlements in the north were under constant threat of Syrian guns. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. Eli Cohen, Israels most famous spy, also happened to be a hopeless romantic. [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". Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. 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. But in 1965, he was unmasked. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. 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. They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.".
Tate's Knock Knock Joke On Yellowstone,
Scrubs For Plus Size 7x 8x,
Beto Quintanilla Son,
Tahitian Dance Origin,
Stride Bank Chime Address,
Articles E