eli cohen children eli cohen children

It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. This material may not be republished without the permission of the copyright owner. you lived with your uncle and worked as a travel agency, later were very successful. Eli kept transmitting reports of a military character, top military orders, reports on new weapons to Israel. It was hard to see the distance from the truth in some parts of the series, Sophie Ben-Dor said in an interview with Channel 12 news. Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel, 2023 The Times of Israel , All Rights Reserved, Sophie Ben-Dor (Screen capture: Channel 12 News), This undated photo shows Israeli spy Eli Cohen in Syria wearing a wristwatch recovered by the Mossad in 2018. 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. In January 1965, Syrian security officers broke into Elis apartment while he was in the middle of his escape to Israel. Eli told Nadia that he got a job with a company that works with defense and foreign ministries, he needs to travel to Europe to buy tools and equipment, and materials for Israel's military. He made friends with many of the guests and ended up receiving classified military briefings and visiting Syrian military sites. In 1965, the Syrian secret service was on high alert. 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. 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. Nadia, however, never remarried. 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. Haaretz.com, the online English edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, gives you breaking news, analyses and opinions about Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. In January 1965, Syrian security services broke into Eli's apartment, where he was caught while he was escaping to Israel. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant. He was tortured, but he wouldnt give away any incriminating information about Israel. In February 2007, a Turkish official assured assistance to Eli's family to get back his body. Melita Norwood | longest-serving British spy | Melita Norwood Book, Death, Family, Daughter | melita norwood images. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. the plan was doomed from staring, one of the bombs exploded in the pocket of Philip Natanson and was arrested by police and other members were caught in the following days. His graduate report stated that he had all the qualities needed to become a katsa, or field agent. 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.". 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. At first, he refused. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Syria tortures him but he was still lying, his face was covered with wounds, his nail was pulled out. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. It doesnt fit our story but I understand the situation. But in 1965, he was unmasked. "I want to ask wasn't Eli worth the price? By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. Learn more. [12], He was then given a false identity as a Syrian businessman who was returning to the country after living in Argentina. 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. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. But he refused). Cohen immigrated to Israel in 1957 and was recruited by Military Intelligence, to a unit that later became part of the Mossad. 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. Elis connections enabled him to be taken to the Golan Heights a major strategic asset for Syria from 1948-67. The drunk guests would often end up blabbing about their work to Cohen, who was sober but would pretend to be intoxicated. The newly appointed Syrian intelligence colonel, Ahmed Su'edani, disliked Eli. Still, the memory of those domestic joys sustains Cohen while hes away. Following Israel's independence in 1949, when Jewish families were leaving Egypt, Eli stayed back to finish his electronics degree. He was sentenced to death. Eli was friends with two highly placed Army officers, Colonels Hatoum and Dali, who were fully informed about the scheme. Eli was caught in the act and there was nothing he could do. 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. Eli was arrested but soon released due to a lack of evidence. On August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. The Baath party was rising to power and Eli Cohen wanted to be there when it took power. "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. 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 Syrias Jewish community, in particular.. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. 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. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. they carry out several bombings in Cairo and Alexandria, targeting libraries and cultural centers, cinemas, post offices. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. Irit does not know her father. Syrian security services led by Suidani broke into Cohen's apartment on 24 January and caught him in the middle of a transmission to Israel. [22], It is claimed that the intelligence that Cohen gathered before his arrest was an important factor in Israel's success in the Six-Day War,[23] although some intelligence experts have argued that the information he provided about the Golan Heights fortifications was also readily available from ground and aerial reconnaissance. 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. They further said that the use of the term "partner" is generic and is applied to all those agencies with which we have contact. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. 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. In 1957, Eli joined the Israel Defense Forces as a counterintelligence analyst and later applied for the Israeli intelligence agency 'Mossad,' which rejected him. As we saw, the Syrians continually harassed Israels northern settlements from 1948-67. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. One of the most difficult tasks for Eli Cohen was to learn the intricate and unmistakable phonetic tune of Syrian Arabic; prior to his intelligence training, his Egyptian accent was undeniable. His trainer was an Iraqi-born Jew who had extensive experience training operatives in speaking Arabic and the traditions and Muslim customs. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. He genuinely fit into life in the Syrian capital, and he was never suspected of being a spy until almost the very end. [9], Cohen continued his social life as he had in Argentina, spending time in cafes listening to political gossip. 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. [11] Start with Mossad [ edit] Nadia wishes to be buried beside Elis grave. 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. Syria brought hydraulic engineers and diversion equipment to actualize the scheme. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. Israel could not survive without Jordan's water. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. The president was ousted from power a year later in 1966. But it . He was caught and sentenced to death. 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 Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. To no avail. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. 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. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. their chief noticed that their decision taken by the government was broadcast to Israel. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . I understand and respect [it], she said in a separate interview earlier Sunday with the network. Israeli foreign minister Golda Meir led a campaign urging Damascus to consider the consequences of hanging him. Eli Cohen was first sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to establish his cover as a Syrian emigre. 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. He took on the name Kamel Amin Thaabet and went to live in Argentina for some time to build a name for himself in the Syrian expat community. [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. 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. The location of Cohen's body remains unknown. 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. He reminded me of my father sometimes, she added. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. They observed a period of radio silence, in the hope that any illegal transmissions could be identified. He soon became accepted, well-liked, and respected, and made contacts with politicians, diplomats and military officials working out of the Syrian Embassy. 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. At this time the Ba'ath Party was illegal in Syria but the party seized power in 1963. I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. Eli Cohen provided an incredible amount of intelligence data to the Israeli Army over a period of three years. After his execution, a white parchment filled with anti-Zionist writing was put on his body, and he was left hanging for six hours. I had gotten under his cover," said Maurice Cohen. The film featured John Shea as Eli. Nadia, understandably, has remained fixated on her loss. "Sophie's. The Golan is not only important for its military significance. Eli's handlers were continually persuading him to return. Given their history of a paper trail, its fitting but heartbreaking to learn that their final exchange also took place over written correspondence. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. Eli has been honored as an Israeli national hero, and many streets and neighborhoods have been named after him. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. He was also allowed to write a final letter to his wife. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. 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. 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. He was interrogated and tortured. Ben-Dor was pessimistic that Israel would soon be able to retrieve her fathers body from Syria. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members. [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. Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. 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? 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. He worked as an accountant and translator. 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. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. At these parties, Cohen "dispensed free-flowing liquor and prostitutes",[1] and highly placed officials would openly discuss their work and army plans. Recruitment into the Mossad. [2], A 2018 article published in Newsweek by Ronen Bergman excerpted from Bergman's book Rise and Kill First, says that Eli Cohen located Alois Brunner, a Nazi scientist suspected of living in Syria, and relayed the information to an Israel intelligence unit that later sent letter bombs to Brunner.