eli cohen children

But an interview published in the Cairo Times yesterday with the German-born Weltrude Scheffeldt-Biton suggests that Egyptian intelligence played the most important role in unmasking Cohen. He genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. After three months, Eli spoke passable Spanish, knew Buenos Aires well, dressed, and behaved like thousands of Arab immigrants living in Buenos Aires. 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. Cohen was born and raised in Egypt and was expelled to Israel in 1956. 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. Eli Cohen was now a member of the inner circle of power. In real life, the closeness between Hafiz and Cohen has been disputed by the former president of Syria, who claimed in a 2001 interview with Al Jazeera that they couldn't have met in Buenos Aires because Hafiz was in Moscow until 1962, by which time Cohen had gone undercover as Thaabet in Damascus. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. 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. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. Recruitment into the Mossad. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. Nadia and 'Mossad' were on bad terms until Meir Dagan was made the agencys chief. Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. [9], Cohen continued his social life as he had in Argentina, spending time in cafes listening to political gossip. [9] The governments of Belgium, Canada, and France tried to persuade the Syrian government to commute the death sentence,[25] but the Syrians refused. A year later, in 1965, Cohen was caught transmitting over the radio back to Tel Aviv. The Golan Heights defenses were top-secret and closed only to top military staff. He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. (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. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. [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 himself was not above the spicier part of a spys life either. I give you my blessing. 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. I think as long as Bashar Assad is in power I dont see the word progress,' she said, referring to Syrias dictator. Cohen was released because he was not linked with the underground. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. Meanwhile, every few days he transmitted important information to his Israeli handlers via a radio transmitter he had hidden in his room. Were they not interested? "We have six grandchildren," she says with pride as she points to a family photo on the wall. Nine months later, in late 1961, Eli came back to Israel for a visit with his wife Nadia. The Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. Show creator Gideon Raff's limited series has brought renewed attention to the life and work of Eli Cohen. In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. Eli Cohen provided an incredible amount of intelligence data to the Israeli Army over a period of three years. In early 1961, Chaim Herzog, Chief of Military Intelligence and later president of Israel, signed the document authorizing Cohens use as a spy. How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document? he angrily asked Saif. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. The complete trust Cohen enjoyed among his unwitting informants is illustrated by the following incident, which might have serious consequences for the Israeli agents. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. Did you spend your weekend binge-watching Netflix's taut thriller, The Spy? At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. His captors later remarked on his noble bearing and his courage despite the horrific Syrian interrogation methods. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. The newly appointed Syrian intelligence colonel, Ahmed Su'edani, disliked Eli. [18], Cohen made repeated visits to the southern frontier zone, providing photographs and sketches of Syrian positions. The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. Eli had lost his friends, in 1957 he immigrates to Israel. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. In real life, Cohen was only able to return to Israel a few times during his mission. [29] Mossad director Yossi Cohen presented it to Cohen's family in a ceremony, and it is currently on display at Mossad headquarters. Eli, after all, was born in an Arab country, had oriental features, was known to be selfless and fearless in pursuit of a cause, and had knowledge of Arabic, English, and French. Cohen was arrested in January 1965 while transmitting to his handlers. His widow mentioned that the watch was up for sale months earlier, and Mossad managed to capture it. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. In 1949, his parents and three brothers moved to Israel while Eli remained in Egypt to coordinate Jewish and Zionist activities there. He made friends with many of the guests and ended up receiving classified military briefings and visiting Syrian military sites. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. But Sophie was born without seeing his father. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. 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. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. Eli seemed to have completed the final stage in establishing his network. 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. Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. For two weeks Cohen was put under surveillance and was judged suitable for recruitment and training. On April 15, 2019, a few Israeli news agencies published unconfirmed reports of Eli's remains being recovered in Syria and stated that the remains were with a Russian delegation. In Episode 5, Maurice puts the clues together when he covers for the regular analyst that communicates with Cohen using Morse code. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. But within a month he had lost his Tel Aviv-based accountancy job. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. try to make as many friends as possible, and establish contact with Arab leaders. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. they carry out several bombings in Cairo and Alexandria, targeting libraries and cultural centers, cinemas, post offices. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. For 19 years, Jewish settlements in the north were under constant threat of Syrian guns. I don't want to go to my death longing for my Eli to rest in the soil of the land that he loved and for which he gave his life. 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. 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. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. [31] A memorial stone has been erected to Cohen in the Garden of the Missing Soldiers in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. 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. He is being executed according to the two articles 158 and 159 of the military penal code, and articles 271, 272, and 274 of the general penal code. Nadia believed it and went to see him off at the airport in 1961. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. After a few months, Eli was visited by George Salem Seif, a radio show host in charge of radio Damascus broadcast for Syrian abord. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. You're not alone. he goes abroad for business and meets Nadia and Sophie in Bat Yam. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. Others have attributed the carelessness to an almost suicidal tendency perhaps, it was later surmised, he had been in the undercover world too long, but knew he couldnt get out of it. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. "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. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. [15], Cohen moved to Damascus in February 1962 under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet (Arabic: ). She also said she understood and respected the show. 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. He would also lend money to government officials, and many came to him for advice. 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. During their exchange, Cohen signs off by asking, "Did N get the Singer?" For his loyalties, Hafiz grooms Thaabet to be deputy defense minister in his government. After some months, Abdel Latif Hassan introduces Eli to General Amin El-Hafez, the military attache at the embassy. He worked as an accountant and translator. His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. This helped the army win the Six-Day War and capture the Golan Heights. Confused, he took the case to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the official responsible for supervising New Zealand's two main intelligence agencies, telling him he could have solved the 53-year-old mystery. According to Maurice Cohen, this really happened. "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. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. The highly vigilant Russian security experts, equipped with very sensitive technical intelligence-gathering equipment, pinpointed the source of the transmissions in the Syrian capital and it was Elis home. one after the other 69 people were arrested. But it . 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. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. Al-Gamal rushed to inform his superiors that Thabet was none other than Eli Cohen, the Alexandrian Jew. [27] Syrian authorities have repeatedly denied family requests for the remains. Israel desperately tried to have his sentence commuted, and despite requests from world leaders and Pope Paul VI for clemency, Cohen was hanged publicly in May of that year. On the day of his execution, his last wish to see a rabbi was respected by the prison authorities, and Nissim Indibo, the elderly Chief Rabbi of Syria, accompanied him in the truck. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. Download our mobile app for on-the-go access to the Jewish Virtual Library, Cohen publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square, The Pedagogic Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for Israel, 1998 - 2023 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. The following year, Syria found out about Cohen by tracing his intelligence transmissions to Israel. In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. 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 August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. It is for these reasons Eli Cohen is known as Israels greatest spy. These skills were instrumental in ensuring the safety and survival of one Kamal Amin Taabet: Eli Cohens new identity. 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 hanged on May 18, 1965. The border with Syria was heating up as well. 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. All these years, I remained faithful to him. In August 2008, Assad's former bureau chief, Monthir Maosily, revealed that Eli had been buried thrice and that Israel would never receive his body. The agent replied: "Will do, thanks K". 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. 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. He soon established himself in the social and cultural life of the Syrian community of Buenos Aires and was known as a wealthy businessman who was generous, tipped well, and loved the night life. Israeli foreign minister Golda Meir led a campaign urging Damascus to consider the consequences of hanging him. 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.". While there, he gained the trust of Amin al-Hafez, who would later become Syrias president. If I wanted something, I called, they put me through to him immediately. 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. 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. But he refused). 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. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? I give you my blessing. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. [7] Cohen is married, has four children and lives in Holon. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". This is adefinitive andfinal verdict. Eli started transmitting his message to Israel daily at 8 a.m. After six months kamal Amin tabet become well known. Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. 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. 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. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. 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. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. In the name of the Syrian Arab people, The Military court has decided in its meeting which was held on Muharram 7th, 1385 - May 8th, 1965 to sentence Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, a resident of Tel Aviv in Occupied Palestine, to death for committing the following crimes: The crime of disguised entry into a military location. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!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 motherPlease pray for my soul. (Haim Zach/GPO). 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. Eli's handlers were continually persuading him to return. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. Elis friendship with Amin al-Hafez proved very valuable. The melting winter snows produce a huge run-off of water which makes the Golan a beautifully verdant area in the late winter and spring and irrigates the Hula and Jordan Valleys below. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Eli was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. In 1961, Eli was sent to Buenos Aires in the guise of a Syrian textile businessman. She understood from him that he would be working for the Ministry of Defense, but she didnt know where or in what capacity. Abdel Latif Hassan immediately wrote four letters one to his brother-in-law, two to friends in Beirut, and fourth to his son in Damascus. According to Scheffeldt, Cohen and al-Gamal were arrested together in 1954 and released shortly after. later he handed with Syrian passport in name of kamal Amin tabet, he advised to open a bank account in that name and start visiting Arab restaurants, the cinema where Arab movies are shown, and political club. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. 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. [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. 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. Eli's wife Nadia, played by Hadar Ratzon Rotem, has to deal with raising two children without her husband, who disappears for up to a year at a time without being allowed to tell her what he's actually doing or even where he is. One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. He was caught and sentenced to death. Nadia, understandably, has remained fixated on her loss. He has reached the apex of success, and it seems that there is no door he can't open. Source:The Pedagogic Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for Israel, (c) 1992-2007. Cohen's widow, Nadia, said that following the report she appealed directly to Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, demanding answers as to why the deal did not go through. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen heads to Germany Tuesday as part of Israel's campaign to halt Iran's . Maurice Cohen told his brother he had a new phone line installed in his house and "gave the number of his apartment in Damascus, which I had received in a message just before he'd come home.". The previous year, which marked Elis 50th death anniversary, Nadia had addressed a memorial dedicated to him. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. 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. 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. The text messages between Khalid and the NZSIS. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. He would entertain high-ranking politicians and military officials at extravagant parties where there would be many women and lots of booze. Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Defense Minister Ezer Weizmann, Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, and several Mossad operatives all attended his son's Bar Mitzvah in 1977. [5] He studied at Cairo Farouk University. 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 . Before he was executed, Cohen met with a rabbi, as per his request, and sent his wife a letter. 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. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. Scheffeldt said that her husband never revealed his true identity, and she learned of it only after a television series aired in Egypt that described him as a national hero. Sacha Baron Cohen in 'The Spy' as Eli Cohen. [11] Start with Mossad [ edit] Eli Cohen was first sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to establish his cover as a Syrian emigre. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. 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. Cohen's brothers Abraham and Maurice led a campaign to return his remains; Maurice died in 2006, and Nadia now leads it. Nadia was told that Eli was working for the ministry of defense and would be completely safe. Israeli spy who was captured and executed in Syria, that enabled them to destroy the equipment prepared for the task, "Israel's Secret Operation to Recover the Watch of a Legendary Spy", "Rumors fly that body of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen was found", "Eli Cohen, notre agent "top secret" Damas", "Mossad's master of deception: the astounding true story of Israeli super-spy Eli Cohen", Widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen: Netflix drama 'raises my blood pressure', "Unending agony for legendary spy Eli Cohen and his widow", "Israel's secret war against Hitler's scientists", "The History of Elie Cohen: An Egyptian Jew who became Israel's greatest spy", "Will Israel's superspy finally rest in peace? 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. 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.

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