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. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. The Spy is an aesthetically flawed portrait of Eli Cohen Still Ben-Dor, who was four years old when her father was killed, said she was pleasantly surprised by actor Cohens portrayal. He made friends with many of the guests and ended up receiving classified military briefings and visiting Syrian military sites. Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents, who had migrated to Alexandria from Syria. In December 1956, the Jewish Agency assisted Eli to deport to Israel in a vessel. Scheffeldt, 63, is the widow of Rifa'at al-Gamal, an Egyptian spy who reportedly operated in Israel for a number of years. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. On August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. Sacha Baron Cohen in 'The Spy' as Eli Cohen. The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. In the show, Cohenas Thaabetbefriends Hafiz in Buenos Aires and later in Damascus helps Hafiz's Ba'ath party seize power. Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: Netflix drama 'raises my blood pressure' Periodically Eli would return to Israel to speak with his Israeli handlers and visit his wife and small children. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. I had gotten under his cover," said Maurice Cohen. He had three brothers. Melita Norwood | longest-serving British spy | Melita Norwood Book, Death, Family, Daughter | melita norwood images. The Arabs would have none of it and decided to divert the sources of the Jordan River which originated in Arab-held territory. In this way, the Arabs hoped to deprive Israel of the waters she would need for her national growth. He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. become close friends. 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's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated 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. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. 'I know where Eli Cohen is buried,' says alleged son of ex - ynetnews 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. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. After a few months, Eli was visited by George Salem Seif, a radio show host in charge of radio Damascus broadcast for Syrian abord. He sent intelligence to Israel by radio, secret letters, and occasionally in person; he secretly traveled to Israel three times. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxhaPGREa74. 'Disturbing' footage emerges from famed Israeli spy's execution in Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. He was hanged on May 18, 1965. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. He was convicted in a trial without a defense and sentenced to death. Eli Cohen's daughter lukewarm on 'The Spy,' but likes Sacha Baron Cohen Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. In January 1947, he was enlisted in the Egyptian army as an alternative to paying the mandatory sum that all young Jews had to pay. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. 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. The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. In 1965, the Syrian secret service was on high alert. I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. In the footsteps of a spy: Exploring the Golan's Eli Cohen Trail (Israel GPO), President Reuven Rivlin and Nadia Cohen, at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Mossad super spy Eli Cohen, May 18, 2015. For his loyalties, Hafiz grooms Thaabet to be deputy defense minister in his government. It doesnt fit our story but I understand the situation. Nine months later, in late 1961, Eli came back to Israel for a visit with his wife Nadia. 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. He has reached the apex of success, and it seems that there is no door he can't open. He worked as an accountant. It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. But in 2018, Cohens watch was retrieved in a secret Mossad scheme. 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. They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.". Despite being away from home for months at a time, he fathered three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai. He remembered and passed on to Israeli Intelligence the positioning of every Syrian gun, trench, and machine-gun nest in each Golan Heights fortification; tank traps, designed to impede any Israeli attack, were also identified and memorized for future targeting.. In 'The Spy,' Sacha Baron Cohen Gets Serious : NPR Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. 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. "I want to ask wasn't Eli worth the price? Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. The children could not react to Eli's absence. He escaped punishment due to lack of evidence. [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. Over the years, Nadia has made several efforts to seek a bit of mercy from Syrian officials. 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. He even trained at the same facility that had served as home to his doomed Susannah compatriots in 1953. He returned to Egypt in 1956 but was suspected immediately and was placed under surveillance. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. [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. Eli, who would feign intoxication, remained sober and listened carefully., In addition to providing loans to government officials and acting as an avid host, he was asked for advice by government officials, who were often intoxicated by the alcohol he freely provided. Eli Cohen (politician born 1972) - Wikipedia For two weeks Cohen was put under surveillance and was judged suitable for recruitment and training. 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. Given their history of a paper trail, its fitting but heartbreaking to learn that their final exchange also took place over written correspondence. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. 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 watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. 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. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. He also held parties at his home for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others. The location of Cohen's body remains unknown. 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. had succeeded in friending a Saudi entrepreneur who had been contracted to plan and dig canals, the name was his friend was bin Laden, little Osama's father. Over the years, her relationship with the Mossad and that of her children, Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg and Shai Cohen, unraveled. Eli Cohen provided an incredible amount of intelligence data to the Israeli Army over a period of three years. Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Nadia Cohen - Life Story of Widow of Israeli Spy Eli Cohen - Facts Ninja His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel's greatest spy - San Diego Jewish World He was supposed to stay in Buenos Aires as a Syrian migr businessman named Kamal Amin Taabet. The True Story Behind The Spy on Netflix | Time ", "Sacha Baron Cohen To Star As Eli Cohen in Netflix Limited Series 'The Spy', Cohen's widow asks for his remains to be returned, PM's speech at the ceremony marking 40 years since the death of Eli Cohen, Our man in Damascus: Eli Cohen of blessed memory, Exhibition in the IDF & Defense Establishment Archives, Eli Cohen, moments after the execution (part 1), Eli Cohen, moments after the execution (part 2), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eli_Cohen&oldid=1140124388, Egyptian people convicted of spying for Israel, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 15:41. In the final episode of The Spy, Cohen's brother Maurice, a Mossad analyst, confronts him after discovering he is the secret Agent 88 in Damascus. They observed a period of radio silence, in the hope that any illegal transmissions could be identified. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret 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. It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. 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. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. 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. She smiles. The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. And much of the credit for Israels ability to capture the Golan was due to Eli Cohen, Israels greatest spy. 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. 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. Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. 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. Maurice isn't sure what this means. He emigrated to Israel with the assistance of the Jewish Agency. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. 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. Al-Hafidh then sent his bank details, but the deal went cold. "The moment that they informed me [of the watch's recovery] my mouth went dry and I got the chills," Nadia told Israeli TV. In a display of generosity, the tabet contributed some money to build a public kitchen for the poor of Damascus. Cohen later. 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. On January 24, 1965, Syrian intelligence broke into his home in the middle of a transmission. After some months, Abdel Latif Hassan introduces Eli to General Amin El-Hafez, the military attache at the embassy. 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. 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. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. He also requested her to remarry so that their children would have a father and she would have a partner. As we saw, the Syrians continually harassed Israels northern settlements from 1948-67. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. Irit does not know her father. If I wanted something, I called, they put me through to him immediately. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. Kamal Amin Tabet hosted a glamorous party in Damascus, several ministers, a large number of general and colonel, top leaders of the Baath party, businessmen. Eli Cohen - Wikipedia Eli Cohen - Jewish Virtual Library But the series did not give al-Gamal enough credit, she said, and this led her to reveal his memoirs, which he wrote in secret and deposited with a lawyer for safekeeping. 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. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. 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. 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. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. [24], Following the 1963 Syrian coup d'tat, newly appointed Syrian Intelligence Colonel Ahmed Suidani disliked Cohen and did not trust figures close to the Second Syrian Republic. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. The information he had been providing them for years was too good to forego. The new Ba'ath government initially installed Lu'ay al-Atassi as president in March 1963. These skills were instrumental in ensuring the safety and survival of one Kamal Amin Taabet: Eli Cohens new identity. [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). So now we have a request. 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. At the beginning of the 1956 War, when Israel occupied the Sinai, Eli Cohen was detained by the Egyptian authorities, and was expelled from Egypt along with the remainder of Alexandrian Jews at the end of the war. The Golan is not only important for its military significance. But it . The drunk guests would often end up blabbing about their work to Cohen, who was sober but would pretend to be intoxicated. Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? One of the ministrys directors entered the room unannounced. Israel has had a quiet northern border on the Golan with the exception of some occasional fallout from the Syrian civil war for more than 40years. She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. [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. When the Baath took power in 1963, Eli was firmly entrenched in Syrian high society. Nadia believed it and went to see him off at the airport in 1961. Cohen heads to Germany to discuss Iran uranium enrichment, IRGC 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. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. The Spy's Widow // After many decades, Nadia Cohen is keeping the 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. He wrote a last letter to his wife before he mounted the scaffold to a seething crowd. His new friends introduced Eli to top government officials, senior army officers, and leaders of the ruling party. 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. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. He worked as an accountant and translator. Cohen was born in 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Mizrahi Jewish and Zionist family. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. "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. Cohen was publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square in Damascus on 18 May 1965. According to his fictional biography, in 1948 the family moved to Argentina, where they opened a successful textile business. Kamal Amin Taabets (Eli Cohen) return to Syria would ostensibly be the fulfillment of a lifelong patriotic dream. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. The agent replied: "Will do, thanks K". Egyptian authorities uncovered the spy ring and sentenced two of the members to death. 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. Eli himself was not above the spicier part of a spys life either. In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924, the second of eight children in a family of orthodox Jews. "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." Prior to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family. While there, he gained the trust of Amin al-Hafez, who would later become Syrias president. A month later, a Syrian officer would say that one of Israel's attack architects had been Eli Cohen, who was in Israel during the battle. 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. While undercover in Argentina in The Spy, Cohen struggles to resist drafting her notes, even if it puts him in danger. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. 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. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his he supplies Eli with inside information about the political and military situation. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. Thats when he met Nadia Majald, an Iraqi-born Jewish woman who lived near his brother and his wife. [9], Cohen continued his social life as he had in Argentina, spending time in cafes listening to political gossip. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. Nadia Cohen attempted to appeal for clemency at the Syrian Embassy in Paris but was turned away. He is best known for his espionage work in 196165 in Syria, where he developed close relationships with the Syrian political and military hierarchy.[1][2][3]. . 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. He made friends who moved in highly influential Syrian circles, transmitting his findings back to Israel via radio. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. This is adefinitive andfinal verdict. 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. It is for these reasons Eli Cohen is known as Israels greatest spy. But he spent most of his time in Tel Aviv perfecting his cover and being briefed on Amans requirements of him in Syria, as well as last-minute intelligence data needed for his mission. His success in effectively penetrating the Syrian social and political/diplomatic/military strata already wildly exceeded Amans expectations of him, Cohen arrived in Damascus in February 1962, posing as a businessman from Argentina who had returned to his native land. Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family. Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? She also said she understood and respected the show. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. But changes were taking place in the Syrian Government that alarmed Eli. "It was all for good intentions. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. 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 . For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office.
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