I think as long as Bashar Assad is in power I dont see the word progress,' she said, referring to Syrias dictator. His final visit was in 1964. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. 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 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. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. 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. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . 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. Cohen later. In 1962 Eli cohen was in Damascus with crowded mosques and colorful souks, he rented a luxurious villa in the classy Abu Ramen neighborhood, close to the Syrian embassy. Sacha Baron Cohen in 'The Spy' as Eli Cohen. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. Eli expressed his fear and wish to terminate his assignment in Syria during his last visit to Israel in November 1964. After the Israel Independence War In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. Eli Cohenhad 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. Syria brought hydraulic engineers and diversion equipment to actualize the scheme. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. References ^ Eli Cohen Knesset ^ Eli Cohen Ministry of Economy and Industry ^ Kulanu list Central Elections Committee In December 1956, the Jewish Agency assisted Eli to deport to Israel in a vessel. He had an input into and an impact on Syrian national defense and was privy to almost all their secrets. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. "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. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. Over the years, Nadia has made several efforts to seek a bit of mercy from Syrian officials. I give you my blessing. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. 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. Maurice isn't sure what this means. 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. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. 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. 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. 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. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. "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." 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. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. 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. 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. For two weeks Cohen was put under surveillance and was judged suitable for recruitment and training. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. . There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. With senior staff officers acting as guides, Eli Cohen was provided an in-depth intelligence briefing of monumental proportions. They even photographed Eli on the Golan Heights, looking over into Israel, alongside the most high-ranking Syrian officers. [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). [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. [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". Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. He was a legend," I declare. Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? Prior to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. Cohen's astonishing undercover career lasted for four years. 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. 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. The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. 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. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. Please try again or choose an option below. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. He worked as an accountant and translator. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. he goes abroad for business and meets Nadia and Sophie in Bat Yam. However, Eli's loyalty was scrutinized, and he faced harassment by the 'Muslim Brotherhood.' In real life, Cohen was only able to return to Israel a few times during his mission. He continued his social life, spending a lot of time in cafes listening to political gossip. When Intelligence came by a second time, he jumped at it. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. From the creation of Israel through, the present day, Syria has been one, if not the most, implacable of Israels enemies. He had three brothers. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. Eli has been honored as an Israeli national hero, and many streets and neighborhoods have been named after him. The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. [19] He also learned of a secret plan to create three successive lines of bunkers and mortars; the Israel Defense Forces would otherwise have expected to encounter only a single line. He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. For 19 years, Jewish settlements in the north were under constant threat of Syrian guns. Thats when he met Nadia Majald, an Iraqi-born Jewish woman who lived near his brother and his wife. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. "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. 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. The Syrians have consistently refused to do so. The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. Another tutor trained him to speak Arabic. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. The watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. Military Stories site will provide you the latest News related to military. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Eli seemed to have completed the final stage in establishing his network. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. Do what you must, don't deprive the children of a father. His last wish was to see a rabbi. Hence, Nissim Andabo, the elderly chief rabbi of Syria accompanied him to Marjeh Square.. All these years, I remained faithful to him. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. He ultimately complied. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! After several days, Eli got a new identity as. [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. 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. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. Nadia wishes to be buried beside Elis grave. "I was cooperating with the New Zealand Secret Intelligence Service, in cooperation with the Mossad, in order to help find the remains of the Israeli spy Eli Cohen," he said. the plan was doomed from staring, one of the bombs exploded in the pocket of Philip Natanson and was arrested by police and other members were caught in the following days. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. Eli Cohen was now a member of the inner circle of power. 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. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. 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. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. 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. Cohen was arrested in January 1965 while transmitting to his handlers. In November 1964, Tel Dan Syria open fire on Israel tractors in the demilitarized zone. He was driven to the airport, where his wife Nadia saw him off. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. their chief noticed that their decision taken by the government was broadcast to Israel. 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 genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. It went wrong, really wrong," he said. He was tortured, but he wouldnt give away any incriminating information about Israel. 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. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. Likud MK Eli Cohen Federation of Local Authorities conference in Tel Aviv, December 8, 2022. [7] Cohen is married, has four children and lives in Holon. It takes just a few seconds. Again, I. become close friends. In March 1963, General Hafez, Eli's friend was appointed minister of defense in salah Al-Birat's cabinet. But in 1965, he was unmasked. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. He worked as an accountant. According to Scheffeldt, al-Gamal wrote in his memoirs of his friendship with Marcelle Ninio, who was sentenced to four years in prison for her role in the Jewish Underground, and also about Eli Cohen. Eli was arrested but soon released due to a lack of evidence. Al-Gamal, for his part, adopted the Jewish identity of Jacques Biton and immigrated to Israel from France on the orders of Egyptian intelligence. A number were only released 14 years later, after the 1967 War. It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. The newly appointed Syrian intelligence colonel, Ahmed Su'edani, disliked Eli. On January 24, 1965, Syrian intelligence broke into his home in the middle of a transmission. He reminded me of my father sometimes, she added. 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. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. 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. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant Zaher Al-Din took Eli to the El Hama military camp, where large quantities of new weapons had been stored. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. Later, visiting his sister-in-law, Cohen's wife Nadia, he notices that she has a brand new Singer sewing machine in her home. At first, he refused. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. Israel tried to obtain the cooperation of her Arab neighbors for the plan, but the Arabs would not agree, even when the United States tried to use its diplomatic leverage for the furtherance of the plan. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria.