He took on the name Kamel Amin Thaabet and went to live in Argentina for some time to build a name for himself in the Syrian expat community. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. 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. "Soon after, my commanding officers summoned me to my base and informed me that Eli had spoken to them about the phone number incident. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. The condom was used as a timing tool for mixed chemicals and produce a minor burst of fire. They further said that the use of the term "partner" is generic and is applied to all those agencies with which we have contact. The film featured John Shea as Eli. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. The Spy's Widow // After many decades, Nadia Cohen is keeping the After weeks of surveillance, he was finalized and was put to training. "Sophie's. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. He says the spies wanted him to try and talk to his father's close friends or provide insight. they suspect on a tablet but they verify the Tibet's transmission two times at 8 am precisely they broke into the tablet home, Eli was caught red-handed in the transmission. In 'The Spy,' Sacha Baron Cohen Gets Serious : NPR Eli was born Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, on December 26, 1924, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt, into a staunch Jewish and Zionist family. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. 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. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. I think as long as Bashar Assad is in power I dont see the word progress,' she said, referring to Syrias dictator. But he refused). Eli expressed his fear and wish to terminate his assignment in Syria during his last visit to Israel in November 1964. On August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. The president was ousted from power a year later in 1966. He ultimately complied. He genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. 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. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. 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. [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. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . He then left the university and continued his studies at home. 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 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. ", "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. one after the other 69 people were arrested. 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. The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. 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. 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. 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. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. Cohen went undercover in Syria as Kamel Amin Thaabet in the early 1960s, aligned himself with key military and government personnel and fed intel back to Israel. On May 15, 1965, Eli wrote a final letter to Nadia, requesting her not to mourn his death and stating that she should hold her head high, as her husband had done nothing wrong. 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. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. 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. When Intelligence came by a second time, he jumped at it. 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. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. 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. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. 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. 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. 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. 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. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his [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). In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: , Arabic: ; 6 December 1924 18 May 1965), commonly known as Eli Cohen, was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. 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.. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. For four years, Cohen posed as a Syrian textile businessman named Kamal Amin Thabet, first in Argentina and later in Damascus. children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Born Country: Egypt Spies Israeli Men Died on: May 18, 1965 place of death: Al Marjeh Square, Damascus, Syria Notable Alumni: Cairo Farouk University Cause of Death: Executed By Hanging City: Alexandria, Egypt More Facts Recommended Lists: Israeli Celebrities Male Spies Israeli Spies Capricorn Men In 1960, the national intelligence agency of Israel, 'Mossad,' approached Eli for a classified mission in Syria. No film or video was previously known to exist of the execution. [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. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. I understand and respect [it], she said in a separate interview earlier Sunday with the network. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. He arrived in Israel on February 8, 1957. However, running a double agent is considered to be one of the most complex missions in intelligence work. The Spy is an aesthetically flawed portrait of Eli Cohen She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. Eli Cohenbecame certain that Israel had spied in the Syrian government. Over the years, her relationship with the Mossad and that of her children, Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg and Shai Cohen, unraveled. 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. He reminded me of my father sometimes, she added. Eli Cohen was the man for the job. The transmissions became longer as well. In March 1963, General Hafez, Eli's friend was appointed minister of defense in salah Al-Birat's cabinet. [27] Syrian authorities have repeatedly denied family requests for the remains. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. 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. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. Nadia Cohen, widow of executed Israeli spy Eli Cohen, speaks to Channel 2 on September 20, 2016 after Syrian opposition forces release new video showing moments after he was hanged in. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. Eli Cohenalso learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family. 'The Spy' Creator Gideon Raff on the True, 'Heartbreaking' Love Story Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. 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. [29] Mossad director Yossi Cohen presented it to Cohen's family in a ceremony, and it is currently on display at Mossad headquarters. 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. Nadia Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life, Achievements The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. love of country, sacrifice and about his life and my life, my children." . Eli Cohen (pictured, at center) was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents who had immigrated to Alexandria from Aleppo, Syria. He had three brothers. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. Cohen later. During their exchange, Cohen signs off by asking, "Did N get the Singer?" Eli himself was not above the spicier part of a spys life either. Eli was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. Meir even appealed to the Soviet Union. Diplomats, prime ministers, parliamentarians, and Pope Paul VI tried to intercede. They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. Israel has for decades worked to retrieve his remains. "I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has past," his final letter read. Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family. But in 1965, he was unmasked. In November 1965, Eli's wife wrote to Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad, requesting him to send Elis remains back to Israel. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. Israeli spy's widow 'hurt' by Netflix biopic, but welcomes publicity 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. The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the. Warning: This article contains spoilers for all six episodes of The Spy. While there, he gained the trust of Amin al-Hafez, who would later become Syrias president. He was a legend," I declare. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. It takes just a few seconds. After some months, Abdel Latif Hassan introduces Eli to General Amin El-Hafez, the military attache at the embassy. At Kfar Habad, on July 29, 1977, at the joint Bar Mitzvah for 100 fatherless boys, in the presence of Prime Minister. What Netflix's 'The Spy' Gets Wrong About Eli Cohen 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 was convicted of espionage. 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. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. This helped the army win the Six-Day War and capture the Golan Heights. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. He worked as an accountant. Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. In 1960, Cohen was approached by the Mossad for a mission in Syria. While undercover in Argentina in The Spy, Cohen struggles to resist drafting her notes, even if it puts him in danger. After the Israel Independence War In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? Source:The Pedagogic Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for Israel, (c) 1992-2007. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. The previous year, which marked Elis 50th death anniversary, Nadia had addressed a memorial dedicated to him. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. Prior to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. 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. In a display of generosity, the tabet contributed some money to build a public kitchen for the poor of Damascus. In an interview with Newshub, Al-Hafidh now says he is willing to reveal the information without the financial reward, as long as the Cohen's relatives finally have their peace. 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. At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. They had three children, Sophie, Irit, and Shai. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. Cohen was born in 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Mizrahi Jewish and Zionist family. 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.". Incorrect password. I had gotten under his cover," said Maurice Cohen. Sacha Baron Cohen in 'The Spy' as Eli Cohen. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. [18], Cohen made repeated visits to the southern frontier zone, providing photographs and sketches of Syrian positions. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant. 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. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. His final visit was in 1964. He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. The Story of Eli Cohen, the Israeli Superspy Who Almost Became Syria's Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. As depicted in Episodes 4 and 5 of The Spy, Cohen aligns with Hafiz and the Ba'ath political party to overthrow the reigning government of Syria in March 1963. His first assignment was to infiltrate the Jewish community of Alexandria. Show creator Gideon Raff's limited series has brought renewed attention to the life and work of Eli Cohen. 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. The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. One of his friends found a new job as an accountant, month later he Marty with Nadia, a nurse of Iraqi origin. 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. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. One day Cohen was sitting in Saifs office reading a classified document while the Syrian was on the phone. in Israel, he found the job of translating weekly and monthly magazines for a man after a few months he was fired. But changes were taking place in the Syrian Government that alarmed Eli. At these parties, Cohen "dispensed free-flowing liquor and prostitutes",[1] and highly placed officials would openly discuss their work and army plans. 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. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. Eli Cohen was now a member of the inner circle of power. Eli Cohen - Wikipedia But even after four decades, there are still many questions related to the Eli Cohen affair, some minor, others major - among them, the way in which Syrian counterintelligence identified the Israeli spy. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. [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". Already a member? 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]. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. 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. One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. One of the most difficult tasks for Eli Cohen was to learn the intricate and unmistakable phonetic tune of Syrian Arabic; prior to his intelligence training, his Egyptian accent was undeniable. His trainer was an Iraqi-born Jew who had extensive experience training operatives in speaking Arabic and the traditions and Muslim customs. But his knowledge of. According to an unconfirmed but widely believed story, he feigned sympathy for the soldiers exposed to the sun and had trees planted at every position, placed to provide shade. On January 24, 1965, Syrian intelligence broke into his home in the middle of a transmission. He worked as an accountant and translator. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. Instead, he joined the Egyptian merchant marine and was involved in a number of scams, which resulted in his arrest by the Egyptian secret service in 1952. So now we have a request. Revealed: The Plan to Expand the Israeli Knesset by More Than Double, Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents. If indeed Biton was a double agent - and Israeli intelligence prides itself on the quality of his work - then it is difficult to believe that he exposed Cohen. [7][9] The Israel Defense Forces recruited him in 1957 and placed him in military intelligence, where he became a counter-intelligence analyst. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. [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. Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: 'When he was caught, something died [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. In 1965, the Syrian secret service was on high alert. He made friends who moved in highly influential Syrian circles, transmitting his findings back to Israel via radio.