eli cohen children

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. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. 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. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. After his execution, a white parchment filled with anti-Zionist writing was put on his body, and he was left hanging for six hours. 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. 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. One day Cohen was sitting in Saifs office reading a classified document while the Syrian was on the phone. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Maurice isn't sure what this means. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! 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. From the creation of Israel through, the present day, Syria has been one, if not the most, implacable of Israels enemies. 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. The unit bombed unoccupied American and British installations, expecting that this would be considered the work of Egyptians. From 1961 to 1965, Eli transmitted crucial intelligence data, including that of the Golan Heights, to the Israeli army. "Suddenly something changed there toward us. 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. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. He genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. click the link in that email to complete your registration. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. they carry out several bombings in Cairo and Alexandria, targeting libraries and cultural centers, cinemas, post offices. children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxhaPGREa74. Due to this information, the Israeli Air Force was able to obliterate the Syrian plans for the diversion scheme by shelling and bombing the bulldozers and other equipment used for the scheme in early 1964. 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. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family. In 1960, Cohen was recruited to be part of a dangerous mission to Syria. Syria brought hydraulic engineers and diversion equipment to actualize the scheme. 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. At these parties, Cohen "dispensed free-flowing liquor and prostitutes",[1] and highly placed officials would openly discuss their work and army plans. He was a legend," I declare. While Eli was not directly involved with the Operation Susannah spies, he was involved with pro-Israel activity, and he was brutally questioned by Egypts Intelligence Services. [27] Syrian authorities have repeatedly denied family requests for the remains. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. The Syrians have consistently refused to do so. one evening he met one gentleman, Abdel Latif Hassan, editor in chief of Arab world magazine publish in Argentina. "My darling Nadia, and my dear family,I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever.I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. Egyptian authorities uncovered the spy ring and sentenced two of the members to death. Diplomats, prime ministers, parliamentarians, and Pope Paul VI tried to intercede. In January 1965, Syrian government officials announced that Eli is an Israeli spy. Al-Gamal rushed to inform his superiors that Thabet was none other than Eli Cohen, the Alexandrian Jew. 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. 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. According to Maurice Cohen, this really happened. One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. In Episode 5, Cohen's playboy-esque Thaabet hosts a sex party at his apartment to distract key government and military officials while the Ba'ath Party's military committee seizes power in Damascus. 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. The following year, Syria found out about Cohen by tracing his intelligence transmissions to Israel. Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. He wrote a last letter to his wife before he mounted the scaffold to a seething crowd. Eli Cohen was the man for the job. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. 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. "His parents, Syrian Jews from the thriving town of Aleppo, had always instilled in their educationally minded son the traditions of the Jewish people, of Zionism, and of the culture of Syria's Jewish community, in particular." Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents, who had migrated to Alexandria from Syria. 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. The goal was to gather intelligence from high-ranking Syrian politicians and military officials. Eli did go back to Syria, but his behavior changed. [7], In January 1965, Syrian officials, who used Soviet-made tracking equipment and were assisted by Soviet experts, increased their efforts to find a high-level spy. How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document? he angrily asked Saif. His successes couldn't be vocally shared with his family, however. also learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. The Spy, a six-part Netflix miniseries about Cohen's life, showcases the legendary Mossad agent's relationship with his wife, Nadia (Hadar Ratzon Rotem). Israel's minister of defense Pinhas Lavon and colonel Benyamin Gibli head of military intelligence, concocted a dangerous and foolish plan if several terrorist bombings were swept Egypt, the British will return to its former bases and concluded that Egypt's couldn't maintain law and order. 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. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. Eli Cohenalso learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. 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. 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. Eli Cohen was first sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to establish his cover as a Syrian emigre. Nine months later, in late 1961, Eli came back to Israel for a visit with his wife Nadia. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. He wasnt even drafted into regular service but was placed in a reserve Israeli Air Force formation as a logistics clerk. Perhaps he wasnt allowed into the security service due to his Military Intelligence evaluation some years before. One day in 1960 Israeli Intelligence approached him about working for them again. Israel could be the target of an aggressive attack by a larger, better Egyptian army that wanted to avenge its shameful defect in the Israel Independence War. Eli, who would feign intoxication, remained sober and listened carefully., 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. 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. Out of fear of being caught, Eli expressed his wish to visit Israel in November 1964, to pass on information and also witness the birth of his third child. But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. Offended, he resigned from military counterintelligence and took up a clerical job in a Tel Aviv insurance office. 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. 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. I give you my blessing. Still, the memory of those domestic joys sustains Cohen while hes away. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. On May 18, 1965, Eli was publicly hanged at the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria. Cohen was convicted of espionage. In the interview, she said that her husband left behind memoirs, notes and other evidence. 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. The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. Since Eli did not have a steady job back then, even though he worked as an accountant, he had to rely more on Nadia to help support the family and their marriage. Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. 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. 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 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. 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. In February 2007, the Turkish government offered to act as a mediator for their return. He then left the university and continued his studies at home. Nadia wishes to be buried beside Elis grave. They further said that the use of the term "partner" is generic and is applied to all those agencies with which we have contact. It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. Fortunately, several were easy to spot, for they . In early 1964, Eli was able to radio Tel Aviv that the channel was being dug along the entire length of the Syrian Heights to receive the diverted flow of the Baniyas River - one of the Jordans major sources - and empty into Jordanian territory. Eli carefully spelled out all the details of the project and passed them on to Israeli Intelligence. They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. Incorrect password. [13][14] In Buenos Aires he moved among the Arab community, letting it be known he had large amounts of money to put at the disposal of the Syrian Ba'ath Party. The Israeli government and Cohens widow have for many years sought the return of Elis body. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. Al-Gamal was born in 1927 and aspired to become an actor. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.". 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. Please try again or choose an option below. The agency concluded that Cohen had a high IQ, great bravery, a phenomenal memory, and the ability to keep a secret; but the tests also showed that in spite of his modest appearance, he has an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a lot of internal tension. Cohen, the results indicated, does not always evaluate danger correctly, and is liable to assume risks beyond those which are necessary.. try to make as many friends as possible, and establish contact with Arab leaders. He had seventeen lovers in Syria, all dazzling beauties with a fair degree of family power. Eli hoped as did Israeli Intelligence that these women would help him escape in time of crisis.. The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the. [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. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. He escaped punishment due to lack of evidence. Nevertheless, Kamal Amin Taabet (Eli Cohen) succeeded in visiting every position. I give you my blessing. Eventually, they had three children: Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg, and Shai Cohen. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. 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. 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. I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever. He worked as an accountant and translator. Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anything. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. As Intelligence Chief Meir Amit said, Eli succeeded far beyond the capabilities of most other men.. On January 24, 1965, Syrian intelligence broke into his home in the middle of a transmission. He continued his social life, spending a lot of time in cafes listening to political gossip. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. [15], Cohen moved to Damascus in February 1962 under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet (Arabic: ). - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. While undercover in Argentina in The Spy, Cohen struggles to resist drafting her notes, even if it puts him in danger. 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. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. 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. Still Ben-Dor, who was four years old when her father was killed, said she was pleasantly surprised by actor Cohens portrayal. But within a month he had lost his Tel Aviv-based accountancy job. 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. Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. Born Country:- Iraq Wife/Husband/Ex:- Eli Cohen (m. 1959-1965) Children:- Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen 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. Eli married Iraqi Jewish Nadia Majald, sister of Hebrew author Sami Michael, in 1959. Military Stories site will provide you the latest News related to military. China Offering Cutting Edge Type 052D Destroyers For Export: Are Algeria and Russia its Most lIkely Clients? Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935, [10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. She also said she understood and respected the show. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924, the second of eight children in a family of orthodox Jews. In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. 4 Min Read. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. Despite being away from home for months at a time, he fathered three children, Sophie, Irit and Shai. they made great efforts to locate the secret transmission to Israel with help of Soviet-made equipment, in January 1965 they got success. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. 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. In November 1964, Tel Dan Syria open fire on Israel tractors in the demilitarized zone. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. Eli seemed to have completed the final stage in establishing his network. Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. He was tortured, but he wouldnt give away any incriminating information about Israel. He carefully cultivated contacts with the Baath leadership, which included the Syrian military attach in Argentina, General Amin al-Hafaz. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. In 1962 Eli cohen was in Damascus with crowded mosques and colorful souks, he rented a luxurious villa in the classy Abu Ramen neighborhood, close to the Syrian embassy. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. He died in 2009. Learn more. Prior to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, Cohen was arrested and interrogated over his Zionist activities. 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. [8], Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. The information he had been providing them for years was too good to forego. Nadia (born Nadia Majald) is an Iraqi Jew who got married to Eli on August 31, 1959. 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. But his knowledge of. 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. 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. 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. [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. The new Ba'ath government initially installed Lu'ay al-Atassi as president in March 1963. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. 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. 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. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen heads to Germany Tuesday as part of Israel's campaign to halt Iran's . Later, visiting his sister-in-law, Cohen's wife Nadia, he notices that she has a brand new Singer sewing machine in her home. To no avail. His first assignment was to infiltrate the Jewish community of Alexandria. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. Since then, Nadia has always counted on him. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. The condom was used as a timing tool for mixed chemicals and produce a minor burst of fire. According to Scheffeldt, Cohen and al-Gamal were arrested together in 1954 and released shortly after. 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 beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has past," his final letter read. In a display of generosity, the tabet contributed some money to build a public kitchen for the poor of Damascus. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. Cohen was publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square in Damascus on 18 May 1965. But Sophie was born without seeing his father. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. After several days, Eli got a new identity as. Eli Cohenarrived in Buenos Aires and checked into a hotel .a local teacher would get in touch with him and teach him the Spanish language. 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. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Israeli ambassador, Itzhak Gerberg, would not comment on the report. The film featured John Shea as Eli. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. 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's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. In The Spy, based on the true story of Israeli agent Eli Cohen, comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen takes on a serious role, playing the title character. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. Eli Cohen provided an incredible amount of intelligence data to the Israeli Army over a period of three years. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. 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. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. When the Baath took power in 1963, Eli was firmly entrenched in Syrian high society. He became a confidante of George Saif, high up in the Ministry of Information. [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. This material may not be republished without the permission of the copyright owner. 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. He was promised support in any venture he might wish to undertake, and the generous sums of cash which he appeared to possess appealed to the unscrupulous who thought he could provide grease to their financial ambitions, as well as patriotic Syrians who hoped for an infusion of foreign capital into the Syrian state. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. 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. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Nadia believed it and went to see him off at the airport in 1961. [28] The press announced on 5 July 2018 that Cohen's wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience.