[15], Cohen moved to Damascus in February 1962 under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet (Arabic: ). 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. A number were only released 14 years later, after the 1967 War. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children.
The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. Qudsi was ousted from power as a result of the March 8 coup, but Hafiz did not take power until months later. "Soon after, my commanding officers summoned me to my base and informed me that Eli had spoken to them about the phone number incident. He was taught high-speed evasive driving techniques, Weapons proficiency (especially with a wide variety of small arms), topography, map reading, sabotage, and, most importantly, radio transmissions and cryptography. I think as long as Bashar Assad is in power I dont see the word progress,' she said, referring to Syrias dictator. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. 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. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. In early 1961, Chaim Herzog, Chief of Military Intelligence and later president of Israel, signed the document authorizing Cohens use as a spy. 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. 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. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. At the age of 41, Cohen was hanged in Damascus in front of a crowd of 10,000.
The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel's greatest spy - San Diego Jewish World 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). His first assignment was to infiltrate the Jewish community of Alexandria. The alleged son says the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) contacted him two years ago believing he has clues to the secret location, which his father had apparently taken to the grave. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. 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. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. Periodically Eli would return to Israel to speak with his Israeli handlers and visit his wife and small 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.Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. click the link in that email to complete your registration. He would entertain high-ranking politicians and military officials at extravagant parties where there would be many women and lots of booze. In December 1956, the Jewish Agency assisted Eli to deport to Israel in a vessel. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. one after the other 69 people were arrested. 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. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. 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. How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document? he angrily asked Saif. He continued his social life, spending a lot of time in cafes listening to political gossip. Later, visiting his sister-in-law, Cohen's wife Nadia, he notices that she has a brand new Singer sewing machine in her home.
Israeli spy's widow 'hurt' by Netflix biopic, but welcomes publicity "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. Already a member? But his knowledge of. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. 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. [29] Mossad director Yossi Cohen presented it to Cohen's family in a ceremony, and it is currently on display at Mossad headquarters. Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. At these parties, Cohen "dispensed free-flowing liquor and prostitutes",[1] and highly placed officials would openly discuss their work and army plans. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. [12][16], In 2016, a Syrian group calling itself "Syrian art treasures" posted a video on Facebook showing Cohen's body after his execution. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. 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. At Kfar Habad, on July 29, 1977, at the joint Bar Mitzvah for 100 fatherless boys, in the presence of Prime Minister. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. Learn more. In August 2008, Assad's former bureau chief, Monthir Maosily, revealed that Eli had been buried thrice and that Israel would never receive his body. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. They had three children, Sophie, Irit, and Shai. The crime of obtaining secret information is kept hidden to ensure the safety of the country to benefit the enemy. 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. "The Spy" depicts Egyptian-born Cohen - played by Sacha Baron Cohen - as an ambitious, Arabic-speaking immigrant to Israel who is recruited by Mossad and, overcoming his fears and the strains on his family, infiltrates the Damascus high command by posing as a rich scion of the Syrian diaspora. But changes were taking place in the Syrian Government that alarmed Eli. 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. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. His last wish was to see a rabbi. Hence, Nissim Andabo, the elderly chief rabbi of Syria accompanied him to Marjeh Square.. He became a confidante of George Saif, high up in the Ministry of Information. 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. 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. After weeks of surveillance, he was finalized and was put to training. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. (Haim Zach/GPO). 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. "You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . She smiles. On the day of his execution, his last wish to see a rabbi was respected by the prison authorities, and Nissim Indibo, the elderly Chief Rabbi of Syria, accompanied him in the truck.
[8], Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. 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. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. Israel has for decades worked to retrieve his remains. Syria tortures him but he was still lying, his face was covered with wounds, his nail was pulled out. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. In March 1963, General Hafez, Eli's friend was appointed minister of defense in salah Al-Birat's cabinet. 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. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. 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. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. 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. [32], John Shea played Cohen in the television film The Impossible Spy (1987),[33] and Sacha Baron Cohen played him in the Netflix miniseries The Spy (2019). But it . [16][17] Mossad had carefully planned the tactics that he was to use in building relationships with high-ranking Syrian politicians, military officials, influential public figures, and the diplomatic community. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. In the 1970s, they left Israel for Germany and in 1982, al-Gamal, alias Jacques Biton, died of an illness. Maurice isn't sure what this means. 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.
'Disturbing' footage emerges from famed Israeli spy's execution in His training was extensive and exhaustive. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. [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.