In 1960, Cohen was approached by the Mossad for a mission in Syria. Yedith Ahronoth report. [9] The governments of Belgium, Canada, and France tried to persuade the Syrian government to commute the death sentence,[25] but the Syrians refused. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. #4 - In a recent interview, Eli Cohen's daughter, Sophie Ben Dor, pointed out multiple differences between the truth behind her father's life and the story told in the show. Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. Cohen lives with his wife and four children in Holon. The two got acquainted with each other as he lived opposite her house and they immediately fell in love. Language. However, running a double agent is considered to be one of the most complex missions in intelligence work. They were married in a synagogue within a month and she soon became pregnant with their first child, daughter Sophie. We toured the area in the Golan Heights, noticed the surroundings with visible bunkers, and tanks decorating the children's playground. one after the other 69 people were arrested. Eli Cohen (pictured, at center) was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents who had immigrated to Alexandria from Aleppo, Syria. [5], His parents and three brothers left for Israel in 1949, but he remained to finish a degree in electronics and coordinate Jewish and Zionist activities. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. Al-Gamal rushed to inform his superiors that Thabet was none other than Eli Cohen, the Alexandrian Jew. 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. Revealed: The Plan to Expand the Israeli Knesset by More Than Double, Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family. 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. 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. [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 2006, after the death of Elis brother Maurice, she replaced him as the leader of a campaign to return his remains to Israel. Nadia Cohen was born as Nadia Majald into an educated secular Jewish family in Baghdad, Iraq in the mid-1930s as one of eight children. Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen,Noah Emmerich,Hadar Ratzon Rotem Creators: Gideon Raff Watch all you want. A Wikimdia Commons tartalmaz Eli Cohen tmj mdiallomnyokat. [7] He took part in various Israeli covert operations in the country during the 1950s, although the Egyptian government could never prove his involvement in Operation Goshen, an Israeli operation to smuggle Egyptian Jews out of the country and resettle them in Israel due to increasing hostility in Egypt. He will hold the foreign affairs position until December, at which point he will swap roles with Katz. 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. The trial of Eli Cohen (left), Damascus, 1965 - AFP. She Had a Mixed Reaction to Netflixs The Spy. They would have three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai. (Haim Zach/GPO). 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. 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. Spread the word. . It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. The national turmoil over the PMs judicial overhaul is now being exacerbated by surging Palestinian terrorism and settler extremism. They observed a period of radio silence, in the hope that any illegal transmissions could be identified. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. Eli Cohen, in full Eliahu ben Shaoul Cohen, also called Kamal Amin Thaabet, (born 1924, Alexandria, Egyptdied May 18, 1965, Damascus, Syria), Egyptian-born Israeli spy who infiltrated the highest ranks of the Syrian military and government by posing as a Syrian businessman. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. 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. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. [5] He studied at Cairo Farouk University. 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. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. She was eventually able to appreciate the renewed interest in her late husband and was impressed by Sacha Barons acting. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. Who Is Naomi Scotts Brother, Josh Scott? A noticeable difference was the "Ethnic gap . Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Despite her criticism of the series, Ben-Dor said she understood why the shows creators took artistic license with her fathers story. Parents passed out sweets among their children, while lively music played. Adfter her father fell ill, she and her elder siblings had to help in providing for the family and her younger siblings. When he first met Nadia in 1959, she was in her early twenties and he was eleven years older than her. A two-minute . ! But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. Sacha Baron Cohen-led limited series "The Spy" which comes out today on Netflix tells the true story of how famed Israeli Mossad agent Eli Cohen went undercover in 1960s Syria. In a daring operation, Israel's espionage agency Mossad has claimed to have recovered the watch of Eli Cohen, more than 50 years after the legendry spy was caught and publicly hanged in Syria. References ^ Eli Cohen Knesset ^ Eli Cohen Ministry of Economy and Industry ^ Kulanu list Central Elections Committee The headline reads: Israeli Eli Cohen was hangded this morning in Damascus. [11] Start with Mossad [ edit] At Kfar Habad, on July 29, 1977, at the joint Bar Mitzvah for 100 fatherless boys, in the presence of Prime Minister . Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. Ahead of the mission, Cohen had to learn to speak Arabic in a Syrian accent rather than his native Egyptian. Cohen was caught and eventually executed by Syrian authorities in 1965. Eli Cohen took his last few steps to the stool on which he'd stand for his execution. Reacting to the part where Eli reluctantly courts the daughter of a key Syrian contact, she stated that while her husband was charming, he was faithful. And so Eli became Kamal Amin Tabet, the Syrian son of textile merchant Amin Tabet and Saida Ibrahim. He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. One person found this helpful. Call Eli Cohen Agency Inc. at (718) 336-1700 or visit us at 2003 Coney Island Ave. We will be happy to work with you to make sure your family's financial security is always protected. . become close friends. He was convicted in a trial without a defense and sentenced to death. The TV film 'The Impossible Spy' (1987) chronicled Eli's life. Intelligence officers who investigated the issue offered two possibilities: The first is that it was Egyptian intelligence that identified Cohen and gave him up to the Syrians; the second, which is considered more probable, is that the demand for information was so great that frequent communications via radio to Mossad headquarters exposed Cohen to Syrian counterintelligence. Description. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. Nadia said in a recent interview that when he was caught in Syria weeks later, something within me instantly died. Help JNS grow! We, citizens of Israel, will forever remember Eli Cohen as a true hero, who sacrificed his life in the defense of our security and for the freedom of our country." (Ynet) 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. 2. 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. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. Los sueos se acrecentaron cuando conoci a Eli Cohen, 11 aos mayor que ella, que la impact de inmediato. For every act of hatred and violence, we should add dozens of acts of kindness and charity, A year into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, What Matters Now to Ksenia Svetlova, What Matters Now to Prof. Suzie Navot: Guarding against a Frankenstate, What Matters Now to MK Simcha Rothman: The people should appoint the judges, Mass protests continue into the night in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, US says it expects Israel to prosecute settlers involved in Huwara rampage, Dr. Susan Weiss: Five areas in which the override clause should terrify women, Rabbi Noa Sattath: We NGOs called enemies of the state will defend our rights, Adv. He had a boring job as an accountant at a departmental store, but was very talented and had a modest personality. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. This is adefinitive andfinal verdict. He came home only a few times, and became increasingly secretive about his work. "There was great excitement because it is essentially the only item of dad that came back, we have nothing. It hurt. He left her and four-month-old Sophie to go abroad, and when he returned a year later, he had the persona of a wealthy Syrian merchant, sporting a Turkish mustache. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. She and Eli Cohen Fell in Love at First Sight. Eli was arrested, interrogated, and tortured. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen heads to Germany Tuesday as part of Israel's campaign to halt Iran's . "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. 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. He temporarily moved to Iran, but when the Iraqi court sentenced him to death during his absence, he moved to Israel. His widow mentioned that the watch was up for sale months earlier, and Mossad managed to capture it. in Israel, he found the job of translating weekly and monthly magazines for a man after a few months he was fired. Screenshot from footage showing Israeli spy Eli Cohen placed in a coffin after his execution by hanging in Damascus, Syria on May 18, 1965. After we had spent a few minutes with the children, the little girl . A supporter of the Aliyah, Eli had previously assisted the Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel, when he was in Egypt. The daughter of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen said Sunday it hurt to watch the new Netflix series about her fathers life and execution in Syria, lamenting some historical inaccuracies in the adaptation but praising Sacha Baron Cohens performance. But it . 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. Learn more. 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. He had three brothers. 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. 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. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen ( hber betkkel: , arabul: ), ( Alexandria, 1924. december 6. Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. Everybody has secrets, but Eli Cohen, the Israeli spy hanged in Damascus in May 1965, had more secrets than most . Decades after the Eli Cohen affair there are still many questions, some minor, others major - among them, the way in which Syrian counterintelligence identified the Israeli spy (from the archive). He emigrated to Israel with the assistance of the Jewish Agency. "I commend the fighters of the Mossad for the determined and courageous . He was born in 1971 to Jewish parents. Eli Cohen is a name that doesn't need any introduction. By. [8], Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. In the 1970s, they left Israel for Germany and in 1982, al-Gamal, alias Jacques Biton, died of an illness. Eli had lost his friends, in 1957 he immigrates to Israel. try to make as many friends as possible, and establish contact with Arab leaders. 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. In November 1964, Tel Dan Syria open fire on Israel tractors in the demilitarized zone. However, Eli's loyalty was scrutinized, and he faced harassment by the 'Muslim Brotherhood.' Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anything. For six years, they lived in maabara, an absorption camp for new immigrants. you lived with your uncle and worked as a travel agency, later were very successful. In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. [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. Thats why we started the Times of Israel ten years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. Recruitment into the Mossad. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: , Arabic: ; 6 December 1924 18 May 1965), commonly known as Eli Cohen, was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. Syrian officials began to suspect there was a spy in their midst after Israel thwarted a . I think as long as Bashar Assad is in power I dont see the word progress,' she said, referring to Syrias dictator. She was married to him only for a few years from 1959 to his death in May 1965, but never remarried because of her deep love for him and raised their three children alone. Helpful. While Eli Cohen was never revealed to Nadia that he worked as a spy, she was not fully unaware of it. He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. New video emerges of final moments when Israeli spy Eli Cohen was hanged in Damascus - i24NEWS Maya Margit 4.22K subscribers Subscribe 4.3K Save 1.1M views 6 years ago Notice Age-restricted. , your family left Lebanon and moved to Israel t need any introduction transmissions! And together they had three children few times, and together they had three children passed out sweets their! The Iraqi court sentenced him to go back one last time learn to speak Arabic in synagogue... Arabul: ), Damascus, 1965 - AFP ahead of the Jewish Agency out of completely. 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