In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. I give you my blessing. Still, the memory of those domestic joys sustains Cohen while hes away. The Israeli government and Cohens widow have for many years sought the return of Elis body. Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. 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. Again, I. It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. I understand and respect [it], she said in a separate interview earlier Sunday with the network. In 2016, Nadia told 'Israel Radio' that former 'Mossad' chief Meir Dagan had asked the US officials to help bring Elis remains. His graduate report stated that he had all the qualities needed to become a katsa, or field agent. He escaped punishment due to lack of evidence. In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. In early 1961, Chaim Herzog, Chief of Military Intelligence and later president of Israel, signed the document authorizing Cohens use as a spy. From the creation of Israel through, the present day, Syria has been one, if not the most, implacable of Israels enemies. [12][16], In 2016, a Syrian group calling itself "Syrian art treasures" posted a video on Facebook showing Cohen's body after his execution. He was hanged on May 18, 1965. Hafiz ordered Cohen's execution after he was convicted of espionage in 1965. I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. 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. 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. Cohen would pretend to be drunk to encourage such conversations, to which he paid close attention. 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. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. And much of the credit for Israels ability to capture the Golan was due to Eli Cohen, Israels greatest spy. 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. This coincided with the continuance of Palestinian terrorist infiltrators arriving from the Syrian border, along with a continual flow of Soviet technical assistance to Syria. 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. Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his 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.". [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. At Kfar Habad, on July 29, 1977, at the joint Bar Mitzvah for 100 fatherless boys, in the presence of Prime Minister. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. Another tutor trained him to speak Arabic. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. 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. 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. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. But he spent most of his time in Tel Aviv perfecting his cover and being briefed on Amans requirements of him in Syria, as well as last-minute intelligence data needed for his mission. His success in effectively penetrating the Syrian social and political/diplomatic/military strata already wildly exceeded Amans expectations of him, Cohen arrived in Damascus in February 1962, posing as a businessman from Argentina who had returned to his native land. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. Offended, he resigned from military counterintelligence and took up a clerical job in a Tel Aviv insurance office. The message was passed on to the Syrians, who arrested Cohen. 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. Some attributed this to a sense of cockiness (despite the fears he had expressed in November 1964), due to the ability and ease he had moved about in the highest echelons of Syrian power. He genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. 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. [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. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. We may recall the Egyptian-Jewish spies from the Operation Susannah fiasco. 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. He was sentenced to death. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents. Hes a trusted friend.. Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents, who had migrated to Alexandria from Syria. Once Cohen had established his background, he was inserted into the "target country," Syria, and operated with great success for four years until his capture. The president was ousted from power a year later in 1966. Fiyaz Mughal,Eli Cohens body must be returned to Israel, The JC, (Undated). [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. 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. Cohen wasnt allowed tell anyone of the plans and told his wife that he was working abroad for Israels Defense Ministry. You're not alone. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. Since 1992, the Golan has been up for discussion in the peace talks, but it strikes a very emotional chord among Israelis due to its historic and strategic significance, in addition to its natural beauty. No film or video was previously known to exist of the execution. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. [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. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. But what happened next apparently deviates from the way it appears in the show. "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. His training was extensive and exhaustive. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. 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. Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. 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. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? one after the other 69 people were arrested. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. The new Ba'ath government initially installed Lu'ay al-Atassi as president in March 1963. Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. Incorrect password. Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. Warning: This article contains spoilers for all six episodes of The Spy. [4] His father had moved there from Aleppo in 1914. The unit bombed unoccupied American and British installations, expecting that this would be considered the work of Egyptians. thus Israel needed an agent in Damascus (Sami Micheal, Nadia Cohen's brother was recruited. He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. This helped the army win the Six-Day War and capture the Golan Heights. Cohen was born in 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Mizrahi Jewish and Zionist family. 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). 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. The news spread everywhere that the Syrian leader is a spy, a president friend, a millionaire. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. 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. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. 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. They further said that the use of the term "partner" is generic and is applied to all those agencies with which we have contact. He continued his social life, spending a lot of time in cafes listening to political gossip. . While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. 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. Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. His work bored him and he attempted to join the Mossad, but he was offended when the Mossad rejected him, and he resigned from military counter-intelligence. Eli Cohen, Israels most famous spy, also happened to be a hopeless romantic. It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. they made great efforts to locate the secret transmission to Israel with help of Soviet-made equipment, in January 1965 they got success. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. [7], Following state-sponsored anti-Semitic attacks on its Jewish communities, many of them fled or were expelled, and Cohen was forced to leave the country in December 1956. Over the years, Nadia has made several efforts to seek a bit of mercy from Syrian officials. This article was originally published in May 2005 and republished to coincide with the release of "The Spy" - a Netflix series about Eli Cohen's life. This version contradicts that of Israel's secret service. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. Nadia and 'Mossad' were on bad terms until Meir Dagan was made the agencys chief. ", "Former Assad aide: Eli Cohen's burial site unknown],mm", "New footage emerges of Eli Cohen on the gallows", "Mossad Brings Home Watch of Israeli Spy Executed in Syria; Netanyahu Hails 'Brave' Op", "Watch of famed Israeli spy Eli Cohen recovered by Mossad", "The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel's greatest spy", "Will Assad's Ouster Free Body of Israel Spy? Intelligence created a completely new identity for him. 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. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. Eli Cohen was now a member of the inner circle of power. 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. "It works with a range of international intelligence agencies,'' the NZSIS said in response. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". 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. "Sophie's. 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. In 1965, the Syrian secret service was on high alert. The next day he comes to Hassan's office and admitted that he is sick and tired to live in Argentina, he wanted to go back to Syria, could he help him with a letter of recommendation? He even trained at the same facility that had served as home to his doomed Susannah compatriots in 1953. He returned to Egypt in 1956 but was suspected immediately and was placed under surveillance. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. One day in 1960 Israeli Intelligence approached him about working for them again. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. He was a legend," I declare. It went wrong, really wrong," he said. Cohen was caught and eventually executed by Syrian authorities in 1965. In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. Cohen was publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square in Damascus on 18 May 1965. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . 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. Cohen was released because he was not linked with the underground. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. 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. [29] Mossad director Yossi Cohen presented it to Cohen's family in a ceremony, and it is currently on display at Mossad headquarters. The six-part drama about Israeli spy Eli Cohen has gripped viewers and critics alike with its pulse-racing tale of espionage and a deceptively good dramatic performance by Sacha Baron Cohen, better known for his comedy work, as the Mossad agent. Israeli intelligence was particularly excited about Cohen . At first, he refused. A year later, in 1965, Cohen was caught transmitting over the radio back to Tel Aviv. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. She smiles. 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 . In 1967, the Israelis were able to conquer the Golan Heights in two days in part due to the intelligence he provided. Meir even appealed to the Soviet Union. (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. [12][20][21] Cohen was able to find out that the Syrians planned to divert the Jordan River headwaters in an attempt to deprive Israel of water resources, providing information to Israeli forces that enabled them to destroy the equipment prepared for the task. Learn more. The Spy alternates between Cohens risky schemes with Nadias far more ordinary life. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. His fathers name was Amin Taabet, and his mothers Saadia Ibrahim. But in 2018, Cohens watch was retrieved in a secret Mossad scheme. 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. 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.