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He also held parties at his home for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others. 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 drunk guests would often end up blabbing about their work to Cohen, who was sober but would pretend to be intoxicated. 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. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. In early 1961, Chaim Herzog, Chief of Military Intelligence and later president of Israel, signed the document authorizing Cohens use as a spy. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. 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 Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. He also requested her to remarry so that their children would have a father and she would have a partner. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. The Syrians and their Russian advisers were alarmed by the intelligence that was seeping out of the country. He was interrogated and tortured. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. He then underwent a show trial, like the Operation Susannah spies had in Egypt 12 years before., Like them, his verdict was predetermined. 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. Eli's wife Nadia, played by Hadar Ratzon Rotem, has to deal with raising two children without her husband, who disappears for up to a year at a time without being allowed to tell her what he's actually doing or even where he is. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. Do what you must, don't deprive the children of a father. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. His new friends introduced Eli to top government officials, senior army officers, and leaders of the ruling party. [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". But in 2018, Cohens watch was retrieved in a secret Mossad scheme. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. 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. Others have attributed the carelessness to an almost suicidal tendency perhaps, it was later surmised, he had been in the undercover world too long, but knew he couldnt get out of it. Cohen wasnt allowed tell anyone of the plans and told his wife that he was working abroad for Israels Defense Ministry. The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. [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. This article was originally published in May 2005 and republished to coincide with the release of "The Spy" - a Netflix series about Eli Cohen's life. His final visit was in 1964. Thanks". Syria tortures him but he was still lying, his face was covered with wounds, his nail was pulled out. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. A number were only released 14 years later, after the 1967 War. It takes just a few seconds. It was hard to see the distance from the truth in some parts of the series, Sophie Ben-Dor said in an interview with Channel 12 news. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. 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. As we saw, the Syrians continually harassed Israels northern settlements from 1948-67. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Nadia wishes to be buried beside Elis grave. On August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. He was supposed to stay in Buenos Aires as a Syrian migr businessman named Kamal Amin Taabet. After some months, Abdel Latif Hassan introduces Eli to General Amin El-Hafez, the military attache at the embassy. He also held parties at his home, which turned into orgies for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others, who used Elis apartment for assignations with various women, including Defense Ministry secretaries, airline hostesses, and Syrian singing stars. At these parties such highly-placed officials would talk freely of their work and army plans. your father and uncle opened a textile store, but it went bankrupt your father died in 1956 and six months later your mother died too. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. Israel desperately tried to have his sentence commuted, and despite requests from world leaders and Pope Paul VI for clemency, Cohen was hanged publicly in May of that year. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. The Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. Eli did go back to Syria, but his behavior changed. The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel's greatest spy - San Diego Jewish World For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. At the age of 41, Cohen was hanged in Damascus in front of a crowd of 10,000. 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. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. [11], The Mossad recruited Cohen after Director-General Meir Amit, looking for a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government, came across his name while looking through the agency's files of rejected candidates, after none of the current candidates seemed suitable for the job. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . Syrian security services led by Suidani broke into Cohen's apartment on 24 January and caught him in the middle of a transmission to Israel. 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. Later, visiting his sister-in-law, Cohen's wife Nadia, he notices that she has a brand new Singer sewing machine in her home. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. 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. By Lianne Back. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. 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. Maurice isn't sure what this means. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. Eli expressed his fear and wish to terminate his assignment in Syria during his last visit to Israel in November 1964. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. He worked as an accountant. Eli Cohenalso learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. [8], Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. 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.". In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. 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. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. 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. 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. Eli Cohen was the man for the job. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. Israeli foreign minister Golda Meir led a campaign urging Damascus to consider the consequences of hanging him. Spouse/Ex-: Eli Cohen (m. 1959-1965) children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Born Country: Iraq Family Members Iraqi Female Life with Eli Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. In 1965, the Syrian secret service was on high alert. He says the spies wanted him to try and talk to his father's close friends or provide insight. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. Qudsi was ousted from power as a result of the March 8 coup, but Hafiz did not take power until months later. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. 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. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. 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. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. [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 Cohen's daughter lukewarm on 'The Spy,' but likes Sacha Baron Cohen They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.". [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. [2], A 2018 article published in Newsweek by Ronen Bergman excerpted from Bergman's book Rise and Kill First, says that Eli Cohen located Alois Brunner, a Nazi scientist suspected of living in Syria, and relayed the information to an Israel intelligence unit that later sent letter bombs to Brunner. 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. Incorrect password. later he handed with Syrian passport in name of kamal Amin tabet, he advised to open a bank account in that name and start visiting Arab restaurants, the cinema where Arab movies are shown, and political club. Eli Cohen provided an incredible amount of intelligence data to the Israeli Army over a period of three years. He was convicted in a trial without a defense and sentenced to death. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future! "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. 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. They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. Eli had lost his friends, in 1957 he immigrates to Israel. 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 ultimately complied. [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. In the footsteps of a spy: Exploring the Golan's Eli Cohen Trail The spy who never came home - The Jewish Chronicle He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. This material may not be republished without the permission of the copyright owner. In a February 2006 interview with Jewish Magazine, Maurice Cohen said that he informed his brother that he knew he was "our man in Damascus" in an intriguing way, rather than outright confronting him as seen in The Spy. This is adefinitive andfinal verdict. 'The Spy' Creator Gideon Raff on the True, 'Heartbreaking' Love Story 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. At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. [4] His father had moved there from Aleppo in 1914. The six-part drama about Israeli spy Eli Cohen has gripped viewers and critics alike with its pulse-racing tale of espionage and a deceptively good dramatic performance by Sacha Baron Cohen, better known for his comedy work, as the Mossad agent. But as with all fictional works that derive from real-life events, The Spy, perhaps for reasons ranging from time constraints to story relevance, omits some points in Cohen's story. In 1949, his parents and three brothers moved to Israel while Eli remained in Egypt to coordinate Jewish and Zionist activities there. The Syrian project to divert water from the headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel was mentioned already in the above introduction. 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. Still, the memory of those domestic joys sustains Cohen while hes away. Thats when he met Nadia Majald, an Iraqi-born Jewish woman who lived near his brother and his wife. I give you my blessing. "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 Syria's Jewish community, in particular." Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Its unfamiliar to me, this form of expression in a global television series. 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. In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. 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. 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. In February 1961 one man handed him an Israeli passport in his real name and a plane ticket to Zurich.on his arrival, Eli was met by a white-haired man who gave him a passport from another name, that passport carried an entry visa to chile and a transit visa to Argentina. Eli was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. In the show, Cohenas Thaabetbefriends Hafiz in Buenos Aires and later in Damascus helps Hafiz's Ba'ath party seize power. His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. The newly appointed Syrian intelligence colonel, Ahmed Su'edani, disliked Eli. Eli Cohen - Jewish Virtual Library "I want to ask wasn't Eli worth the price? He became far less careful in his transmissions to Israel, sometimes calling once or even twice a day and almost always at the same time, at 8:30 in the morning. In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. Cohen had aided the unit and was implicated, but they found no link between him and the perpetrators. He then moved to Damascus in February 1962, under his new identity, Kamel Amin Thaabet, to extract classified information from Syrian military officers. 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. He is being executed according to the two articles 158 and 159 of the military penal code, and articles 271, 272, and 274 of the general penal code. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. [12][16], In 2016, a Syrian group calling itself "Syrian art treasures" posted a video on Facebook showing Cohen's body after his execution. "It was all for good intentions. Meanwhile, every few days he transmitted important information to his Israeli handlers via a radio transmitter he had hidden in his room. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. they carry out several bombings in Cairo and Alexandria, targeting libraries and cultural centers, cinemas, post offices. The following year, Syria found out about Cohen by tracing his intelligence transmissions to Israel. This helped the army win the Six-Day War and capture the Golan Heights. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. His training was extensive and exhaustive. 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. At these parties, Cohen "dispensed free-flowing liquor and prostitutes",[1] and highly placed officials would openly discuss their work and army plans. Despite her criticism of the series, Ben-Dor said she understood why the shows creators took artistic license with her fathers story. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. In 2019, Netflix created the seriesThe SpystarringSacha Baron Cohen to tell his story. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. If you've already watched all of The Spy and are curious to know more about Cohen, then these accounts of the real-life Cohen might make for curious reading. 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. 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. The message was passed on to the Syrians, who arrested Cohen. 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. In 1961, Eli was sent to Buenos Aires in the guise of a Syrian textile businessman. Eli Cohen was first sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to establish his cover as a Syrian emigre. When the Baath took power in 1963, Eli was firmly entrenched in Syrian high society. in Israel, he found the job of translating weekly and monthly magazines for a man after a few months he was fired. He died in 2009. You're not alone. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. [31] A memorial stone has been erected to Cohen in the Garden of the Missing Soldiers in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem. Nadia Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life, Achievements Hafiz ordered Cohen's execution after he was convicted of espionage in 1965. He was tortured, but he wouldnt give away any incriminating information about Israel. Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anythingDo what you must, don't deprive the children of a father. When Intelligence came by a second time, he jumped at it. 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. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. Israel's minister of defense Pinhas Lavon and colonel Benyamin Gibli head of military intelligence, concocted a dangerous and foolish plan if several terrorist bombings were swept Egypt, the British will return to its former bases and concluded that Egypt's couldn't maintain law and order. In November 1964, Tel Dan Syria open fire on Israel tractors in the demilitarized zone. click the link in that email to complete your registration. [22], It is claimed that the intelligence that Cohen gathered before his arrest was an important factor in Israel's success in the Six-Day War,[23] although some intelligence experts have argued that the information he provided about the Golan Heights fortifications was also readily available from ground and aerial reconnaissance. But it . However, running a double agent is considered to be one of the most complex missions in intelligence work. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. 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. soon Israel's tanks and cannon riposted with heavy fire, and minutes later mirage pounded the Syrian position and blasted the cannon of Syria that was dug. [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. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. Eli's first instructor Yitzhak learned to memorize things, he throws a dozen objects on the table and Eli observe them for a second and described them. children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxhaPGREa74. 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.