[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. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future! In 1961, Eli was sent to Buenos Aires in the guise of a Syrian textile businessman. Incorrect password. Nine months later, in late 1961, Eli came back to Israel for a visit with his wife Nadia. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. Sign in to stop seeing this, Sara Netanyahu accosted by protesters at Tel Aviv hair salon, extricated by police, Brides joy turns to sorrow after Elan Ganeles killed driving to her wedding, Hiker discovers 2,500-year-old ancient receipt from reign of Purim kings father, Netanyahu compares Tel Aviv protesters to settlers who set fire to Huwara. Nadia was told that Eli was working for the ministry of defense and would be completely safe. 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. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. Prior to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. [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. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. Irit does not know her father. 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? Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. He also held parties at his home for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others. "The moment that they informed me [of the watch's recovery] my mouth went dry and I got the chills," Nadia told Israeli TV. He ultimately complied. 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. 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. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. Eli was friends with two highly placed Army officers, Colonels Hatoum and Dali, who were fully informed about the scheme. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. The Syrians and their Russian advisers were alarmed by the intelligence that was seeping out of the country. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. He made friends with many of the guests and ended up receiving classified military briefings and visiting Syrian military sites. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. For his loyalties, Hafiz grooms Thaabet to be deputy defense minister in his government. In early 1961, Chaim Herzog, Chief of Military Intelligence and later president of Israel, signed the document authorizing Cohens use as a spy. Khalid al-Hafidh, a Syrian migrant living in Auckland, claims to be the son Amin al-Hafiz, a Syrian leader who presided over the country during Cohen's execution and his subsequent secret burial. In addition, the commander of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani trusted no one and disliked Eli. "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. In 1949, his parents and three brothers moved to Israel while Eli remained in Egypt to coordinate Jewish and Zionist activities there. 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. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. Already a member? I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. I think as long as Bashar Assad is in power I dont see the word progress,' she said, referring to Syrias dictator. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. 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. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. 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. However, running a double agent is considered to be one of the most complex missions in intelligence work. 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. 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. Eli studied at a local Jewish community school and then attended the 'University of Alexandria' to study electrical engineering. He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. But Sophie was born without seeing his father. In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. He worked as an accountant. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. He was a legend," I declare. For two weeks Cohen was put under surveillance and was judged suitable for recruitment and training. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. 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. Nadia and 'Mossad' were on bad terms until Meir Dagan was made the agencys chief. Warning: This article contains spoilers for all six episodes of The Spy. (PMO), Sacha Baron Cohen as Israeli spy Eli Cohen in The Spy (YouTube screenshot), Mossad spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria in 1965. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. 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. Thanks". It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. 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. 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. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. he goes abroad for business and meets Nadia and Sophie in Bat Yam. 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. The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. 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. It went wrong, really wrong," he said. 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. 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's handlers were continually persuading him to return. [9], Cohen continued his social life as he had in Argentina, spending time in cafes listening to political gossip. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!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 motherPlease pray for my soul. 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. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria. 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. He was caught and sentenced to death. they made great efforts to locate the secret transmission to Israel with help of Soviet-made equipment, in January 1965 they got success. He has reached the apex of success, and it seems that there is no door he can't open. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. In early 1964, Eli was able to radio Tel Aviv that the channel was being dug along the entire length of the Syrian Heights to receive the diverted flow of the Baniyas River - one of the Jordans major sources - and empty into Jordanian territory. Eli carefully spelled out all the details of the project and passed them on to Israeli Intelligence. After weeks of surveillance, he was finalized and was put to training. Learn more. 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. Do what you must, don't deprive the children of a father. In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. 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. As we saw, the Syrians continually harassed Israels northern settlements from 1948-67. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. In a display of generosity, the tabet contributed some money to build a public kitchen for the poor of Damascus. Eli started transmitting his message to Israel daily at 8 a.m. After six months kamal Amin tabet become well known. The watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. The agent replied: "Will do, thanks K". Employment was not always steady, and he soon had to rely more on Nadia to help support their marriage, which would quickly lead to children. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. 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. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. At first, he refused. It takes just a few seconds. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. Due to this information, the Israeli Air Force was able to obliterate the Syrian plans for the diversion scheme by shelling and bombing the bulldozers and other equipment used for the scheme in early 1964. Over the years, her relationship with the Mossad and that of her children, Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg and Shai Cohen, unraveled. he soon became a well-known figure in the Arab circle. 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. These skills were instrumental in ensuring the safety and survival of one Kamal Amin Taabet: Eli Cohens new identity. One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. [31] A memorial stone has been erected to Cohen in the Garden of the Missing Soldiers in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. Born Country:- Iraq Wife/Husband/Ex:- Eli Cohen (m. 1959-1965) Children:- Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Nadia Cohen is the widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, who spied in Syria by posing as a wealthy merchant during the early 1960s before being caught and hanged to death publicly. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. 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.". I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. 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. He genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. 4 Min Read. 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. According to the report, Mossad agents were on their way to Auckland, with one text saying: "Wait for our partners to arrive before making a decision.". From the creation of Israel through, the present day, Syria has been one, if not the most, implacable of Israels enemies.