We dont know where, in what place, in what country. For now, the watch is all they have and will have to suffice. The world may have forgotten Eli Cohen, the legendary spy, and the media doesnt crowd around the Cohen home in droves like they used to, but Nadia Cohen lives and breathes this story each and every day of her life. , Transactions, cooperation with the Soviet regime, the deployment of the army, its fortifications, and the order of the forces in general and the Golan Heights in particular.Ili created maps with accurate diagrams of the Syrian armys fuel deposits and reports on aircraft movements. Cohen made his desire to return to Syria well known to his new associates, and, when he moved to Damascus in 1962, his Syrian contacts helped him access the highest circles of power in Syria. Following the Suez Crisis, the Egyptian government stepped up persecution of Jews and expelled many of them. Cohen was an Israeli spy who was initially rejected by Mossad. Avraham; 7 episodios 2021-2022 7 episodios 2021-2022. How old are you? Please be always in close communication with my dear parent. Nadia Cohen, Eli Cohens widow, said she had never seen the footage and told Channel 2 watching the video was difficult and that it took me back [to those days].. Using the alias Kamal Amin Thaabet, Cohen made numerous contacts in the Syrian expatriate community in Argentina and soon gained the trust of senior officials working in the Syrian embassy there. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. To my dear Nadia and my dear family: I am writing to you these last words, a few minutes before my end, and I would like to beg you to be forever united. Eli has been dead for 40 years now, and though I did not kill him, I am fully aware that my failure to disclose what I knew my have sealed his fate. To my dear Nadia and my dear family: Who was Eli Cohen? In January 1965 Syrian counterintelligence identified his radio signal and apprehended him in the act of sending a transmission. Cohen received classified military briefings and was taken on tours of the Syrian fortifications in the Golan Heights. Meanwhile in Bat Yam, Israel, only 135 miles away from Damascus, the Cohen family, Elis mother, his wife Nadia, and his siblings, sat huddled in the living room of their crowded apartment as their husband, son, and brother was led to the gallows to be killed for his crimes. Variations on a Theme: Who knew that Purim could be so complicated? Last year, at the 50th anniversary of his death, then-Mossad director Tamir Pardo said Israel has an obligation to bring the body of Cohen to Israel for burial. Support Veteran Journalism . He later returned to Damascus and continued his mission of infiltration into the Syrian political echelon in March 1962. Estudiante de Mercadeo Internacional y Publicidad con inters de trabajar en las reas de estrategia de mercadeo, consumer insights y rea comercial. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924, the second of eight children in a family of orthodox Jews. The trial took place in front of a military court and closed doors. In 1951, following a military coup, an anti-Zionist campaign was initiated, and Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. Mrs. Cohen shows my wife and I to the living room where two large couches face each other on either side of the room; a glass coffee table is situated between them. Read Next: On This Date in 1962, Nazi War Criminal Adolf Eichmann Hanged in Israel. You can get remarried in order not to deprive the children of a father. In December 1956, Cohen was forced to leave the country. Mossad spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria in 1965 (YouTube screenshot), 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 Damascus public square. Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? Born in Alexandria, Egypt to devout Zionist Jews, he eventually was forced to leave Egypt and settled in Israel in 1957. When I asked him what he was doing, he replied: You know Im a curious person. He really was. You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) made note of where the trees were and their artillery pinpointed them in the 1967 war. On January 24, 1965, Syria officially announced the exposure of spy Eli Cohen. 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. Despite the gravity of the state crime committed by Cohen against Syria, the authorities still allowed him to communicate letters with his wife, children and parents, while in prison. Alternate titles: Eliahu ben Shaoul Cohen, Kamal Amin Thaabet. We dont know where, in what place, in what country. However, his name and picture were put on the list of suspects. His short trip to Buenos Aires lasted eight months. He travelled to Israel for a brief espionage training course in 1955 and returned to Egypt the following year. The work he received, in The Central Mashbir, gave him financial security, but he felt that another vocation awaited him. Eli informed Nadia that as part of his work he must bring spare parts for Israeli weapons. The watch was part of Eli Cohens operational image and part of his fabricated Arab identity, he added. "The complete trust Cohen enjoyed among his unwitting informants is illustrated by the following incident, which might have had serious consequences for Cohen. Eli Cohen is one of Israel's most famous spies. Born in Alexandria, Egypt to devout Zionist Jews, he eventually was forced to leave Egypt and settled in Israel in 1957. Although most of his loved ones left Egypt in 1949 to live in the newly independent Israel, Cohen stayed. Look after them thoroughly, bring them up and give them a complete education, dont deprive them or yourself of anything. Receive my blessings to all of you. That proved to be his downfall. The images were broadcast live on Syrian TV and were being watched by thousands around the world. Major Eli Cohen fell in combat and was raised to the gallows in Damascus on May 18, 1965. My soul. Diplomats, Prime Ministers, and Pope Paul VI try to intercede. During Elis time in Egypt, prior to his emigration to Israel, he worked for the Mossad. Were you aware of this when you married him? Of course not, she says. They had three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai,[5] and the family eventually settled in Bat Yam. Corrections? Please try again or choose an option below. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Su'edani - Eli's nemesis. . He is best known for his espionage work in 1961 - 1965 in Syria, where he developed close relationships with the political and military hierarchy and became the Chief Adviser to the Minister of Defense. The trial took place in front of a military court and closed doors. Eli's widow, Nadia, has since led the campaign.[6][9]. . 'How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document?' She is completely alone on the battlefield but still determined and shocked at the very question whether she is ready to surrender. [15] 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. Incitement in the Air // A delayed flight becomes an excuse to attack Chareidim. Title Year Status . Cohen made his desire to return to Syria well known to his new associates, and, when he moved to Damascus in 1962, his Syrian contacts helped him access the highest circles of power in Syria. But as of today, that still hasnt happened. Schmitt, Abram N. Shulsky, Gary J. Let there be one patriot who will discover where the body is and give us peace and comfort., She called on the prime minister or the Mossad to fight to bring back Eli., Enough of this torment, that he is there and we are here. is included in the archives of The Associated Press, Syrian art treasures , , sought the assistance of the United States, Already a member? Now Eli Cohen's astonishing real life James Bond story is the basis of the new Netflix miniseries The Spy, starring Sacha Baron Cohen. Over the years, Nadia Cohen unsuccessfully made several appeals to the Syrian government to release her late husbands remains. Cohen grew up in Alexandria, Egypt, the son of Syrian Jewish parents. Screenshot/Channel 2). Using the alias Kamal Amin Thaabet, Cohen made numerous contacts in the Syrian expatriate community in Argentina and soon gained the trust of senior officials working in the Syrian embassy there. What happens to the notes placed in the Kotel? [2], Cohen was born in Alexandria to a devout Jewish and Zionist family in 1924. [citation needed], In 1955, a sabotage unit, made of Jewish Egyptian citizens and recruited by Israel's secret police, operated against their native Egypt and attempted to destroy Egyptian relationships with western powers. Omissions? 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. Facebook gives people the power to share. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! Cohen, for his part, brought citrus fruits and olive oil from Israel. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. The Israeli government is still trying to get his body returned and even had the Russian government intercede on their behalf. Requests by Cohen's family for his remains to be returned to Israel have been rejected by the Syrian authorities (as of September 2012). [ 11][ 12] Cohen foi enforcado no Marjeh Square em Damasco em 18 de maio de 1965. He's a trusted friend. Already daily life is not [easy] and when things like this pop up, it just boggles the mind, and disturbs my soul, she added. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eli-Cohen, Jewish Virtual Library - Biography of Eli Cohen. Beyond that, he had no involvement in their activities. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. Like Eli, I was a member of Israeli Intelligence, a Mossad agent, now retired. He soon began to transmit information about Syrian military plans back to Israel. 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Irit can also be referred to using alternative name, like Irit A Bershadsky, Irit Bershadsky, Irit Cohen, Irit Brshadsky. 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. Before leaving, Cohen assured his wife that there would only be one more trip before he returned permanently.[3]. I didnt know about his trip to Argentinathats where he learned about Syrian culture and began to blend in with the Syrian community. They would have three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai. The Syrians moved his bodys location several times to prevent the Israelis from stealing it and bringing it home to his family. Cohens espionage work took on even greater importance when a Bathist junta that included several of his associates from Argentina seized power in Syria in 1963. He was also assigned to extract classified information that later led to the success of the Six-Day War. He worked as a translator and an accountant before once again being recruited by Israeli intelligence in 1960. Despite Cohens considerable talent for espionage, he displayed a tendency for carelessness, ignoring his Israeli handlers warnings against sending radio transmissions too frequently or always at the same time of day. he angrily asked Saif. This year, at the conclusion of an operation, we succeeded in locating and bringing to Israel the wristwatch that Eli Cohen wore in Syria until the day he was captured. How many children do you have? I ask. Some sources claim that he had established a good friendship with Amin al-Hafiz. She smiles. , . What does your father do? As I steer the conversation back to her, I realize that although it has been 53 years since her husbands death, the years of sadness and pain have not dimmed her smile as she speaks about her late husband. 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It Will Be Good: If he can accept what is happening, why cant I? He was a member of the Maccabi youth movement and a member of the Maccabi youth movement As a Jew with Zionist awareness, I was filled with pride at the establishment of the State of Israel, and his initial contact with the Israeli intelligence community was created in 1952 when he was twenty-eight years old.In the same period, the IDFs intelligence apparatus operated secret cells In Egypt. He worked as a translator and an accountant before once again being recruited by Israeli intelligence in 1960. Cohen was interrogated, convicted in a military trial, and publicly hanged in May 1965. a few words about him.a few words about him. Eli Cohen and his family later moved to Israel. Because of this, Cohen expressed his fear and wish to terminate his assignment in Syria during his last secret visit to Israel in November 1964 to pass intelligence and for the birth of his third child. 28 February 2023, Berlin: Eli Cohen (m), Foreign Minister of Israel, visits the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe together with Ron Prosor (r), Ambassador of Israel to Germany, and Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal (l) after a meeting with Foreign Minister Baerbock. Eli Cohen (espia), espia israeli (1924-1965) Eli Cohen (actor), actor israeli (1940-) lie Cohen, director d'orquestra francs; Eli Cohen (futbolista nascut el 1951), exfutbolista i entrenador de futbol israeli Eli Cohen (futbolista nascut el 1961), exfutbolista i entrenador de futbol israeli Eli Cohen (poltic nascut el 1949 . Survived by Raya Nadia, three children Sophie, Irit and Shai; Mother Sophia, and seven brothers and sisters Odette, Morris, Ezra, Sarah, Zion Ephraim and Abraham. There were tears and a sadness to see [the post-execution video] right in front of you, how hes lowered from the rope into the coffin, to see the vehicles there, to see the masses in the square, and all of it accompanied with loud music [and] happiness, its not simple, she said. Er war als Vizeprsident fr das Unternehmen Israel Land Development Company ttig. His work bored him, and he attempted to join the Mossad. In 2008, a former bureau chief of late Syrian leader Hafez Assad claimed that no one knew where Cohen was buried. For the purpose of installation and frequency reset, a nationwide wireless shutdown was decided on January 7. . She smiles again; this time, though, her smile doesnt display the same amount of joy as her smile when I mentioned the grandchildren. Please sit, she says, as she heads into the kitchen. In January 1947, he chose to enlist in the Egyptian Army as an alternative to paying the prescribed sum all young Jews were supposed to pay, but was declared ineligible on grounds of questionable loyalty. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to. I was eleven years younger than him At first I was afraid to enter into a serious relationship, I was afraid of the burden, of the unknown, but Eli reassured me. He wrote in encrypted French and used a tiny radio transmitter. The crowd of thousands of rowdy Syrians standing in Damascuss Marjeh (Martyrs) Square waited impatiently for the big moment. 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 Dont forget also your dear family; give them my best regards. Eliahu (Eli) ben Shaoul Cohen (Hebrew: , 16 December 1924 - 18 May 1965) (Arabic: ) was an Israeli spy. Eli Cohen, publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square, Damascus, on 18 May 1965 Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. , Photographed and shot in a boat in the Mediterranean, studied and was educated at the Jewish Community School, where he excelled in his achievements and demonstrated outstanding skills in the fields of mathematics and engineering, and had an excellent memory. A two-minute video posted on Syrian opposition forces social media accounts this week purportedly shows the aftermath of the 1965 execution of Israeli spy Eli Cohen in Damascus. He wanted to come all his life. ", On May 18, 1965, Cohen was publicly hanged in Al-Marjah Square in Damascus. Even in death there is jealousy, that [others can] embrace a grave [in mourning] and we dont even have that.. He spent time living in Argentina working on his cover story and there were even rumors that he, as a rich businessman with a wealth of contacts in the government was being considered as the Deputy Defense Minister for Syria. [22] He is featured at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.[citation needed] A memorial stone has been erected to Cohen in the Garden of the Missing Soldiers in Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Five months after being captured by the Syrian security forces, Cohen was hanged in front of everyone in Marja square in the Lev of Damascus. Updates? Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. Eli was gone. Eli Cohen, Israel's most famous spy, also happened to be a hopeless romantic. He was forty-one when he fell. they made great efforts to locate the secret transmission to Israel with help of Soviet-made equipment, in January 1965 they got success. The memories she retains are fresh and vivid, as if the events she describes in great detail occurred yesterday. [6][16][17] Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, Irit Cohen: Siblings: Maurice Cohen, Abraham Cohen: Star Sign: Sagittarius # Fact; 1: Father of Kaipu Cohen: Actor . [3], Newly appointed Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Su'edani trusted no one and disliked Cohen. His advice to the Syrians to plant eucalyptus trees for camouflage purposes around their fortifications at the level helped our forces locate them accurately. [20] In August 2008 Monthir Maosily, the former bureau chief of the late Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad, said that Eli Cohen's burial site is unknown, claiming that the Syrians buried the executed Israeli spy three times, to stop the remains from being brought back to Israel via a special operation. On his return to Damascus, at one of the new Syrian elite parties, he dubbed the contractor who was in charge of building the diversion facility. But he returned for one final go at it, unaware that the Syrians had brought in Soviet radio direction finding equipment. The website www.elicohen.org.il provides extensive information about Eli Cohens heritage and the love of Israel. They shut down all traffic and picked up his signal and they tracked it to his house. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Eli Cohen, publicly hanged in Al-Marjeh Square, Damascus on 18 May 1965 After a trial before a military tribunal, he was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death under 'martial law'. Assad promised to return Cohens bones, but when he asked about it security officials told him: Sir, we dont know where the grave is, so he couldnt promise.. Una familia que vive el Imperio Otomano, el Mandato Britnico y la Guerra de la Independencia de Israel. Born in Alexandria, Egypt to devout Zionist Jews, he eventually was forced to leave Egypt and settled in Israel in 1957. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. Were really pleased that youve read, Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. Eli Cohens daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. Between 1961 and 1965 Cohen passed Syrian secrets to the Israeli government in what is remembered as one of the most daring and productive intelligence-gathering . To this day, the Syrians refuse to discuss the return of a suspectHis death. The daughter of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen said Sunday "it hurt" to watch the new Netflix series about her father's life and execution in Syria, lamenting some historical inaccuracies in. Eli Cohen took his last few steps to the stool on which hed stand for his execution. I want the inside story of a legendary tale and Im confident that Im about to hear it. Eli Cohen (hebrisch ; * 3. Rochelita Ermoza . That proved to be his downfall. sit amet porttitor eget. His name has been immortalized in numerous institutions and sites throughout the country: streets, buildings, synagogues, libraries, learning centers, parks and groves. He made an effort to see maps of tiny buildings and some of them to build mosques, buildings, soccer fields, and basketball courts.