eli cohen children eli cohen children

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. The alleged son says the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) contacted him two years ago believing he has clues to the secret location, which his father had apparently taken to the grave. Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? Eventually, they had three children: Sophie Ben-Dor, Irit Peleg, and Shai Cohen. After several days, Eli got a new identity as. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. Al-Hafidh then sent his bank details, but the deal went cold. "There was great excitement because it is essentially the only item of dad that came back, we have nothing. The transmissions became longer as well. 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. "This cooperation brings significant benefits to New Zealand's national security, we help them (Mossad), and they help us," they added. They had three childrenSophie, Irit, and Shaiand the family settled in Bat Yam. According to Scheffeldt, Cohen and al-Gamal were arrested together in 1954 and released shortly after. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. 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. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. 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 had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. World leaders, wealthy individuals, the Israeli government, the pope, and others all intervened on his behalf. 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. 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 . One of them was Colonel Amin al-Hafaz, a supporter of the secular-leftist Baath party. 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. On July 5, 2018, media channels announced that Elis wristwatch had been retrieved from Syria, which was later given back to Eli's family by 'Mossad' in a ceremony. After a few months, Eli was visited by George Salem Seif, a radio show host in charge of radio Damascus broadcast for Syrian abord. Registering also lets you comment on articles and helps us improve your experience. Eli started transmitting his message to Israel daily at 8 a.m. After six months kamal Amin tabet become well known. Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. 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. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. She smiles. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. The Syrian project to divert water from the headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel was mentioned already in the above introduction. thus Israel needed an agent in Damascus (Sami Micheal, Nadia Cohen's brother was recruited. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. 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. The location of Cohen's body remains unknown. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . Meanwhile, every few days he transmitted important information to his Israeli handlers via a radio transmitter he had hidden in his room. For two weeks Cohen was put under surveillance and was judged suitable for recruitment and training. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. He says the spies wanted him to try and talk to his father's close friends or provide insight. At first, he refused. 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. [8], Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. He was driven to the airport, where his wife Nadia saw him off. Periodically Eli would return to Israel to speak with his Israeli handlers and visit his wife and small children. click the link in that email to complete your registration. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. To no avail. Already a member? "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 was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. [19] He also learned of a secret plan to create three successive lines of bunkers and mortars; the Israel Defense Forces would otherwise have expected to encounter only a single line. [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. Cohens contacts, nurtured through a string of lavish dinner parties, social occasions, and friendships with those in high places, led to invitations to visit Damascus and to set up a business venture there. Cohen was caught and eventually executed by Syrian authorities in 1965. His last wish was to see a rabbi. Hence, Nissim Andabo, the elderly chief rabbi of Syria accompanied him to Marjeh Square.. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. 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. If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. 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. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. At the age of 41, Cohen was hanged in Damascus in front of a crowd of 10,000. 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. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. Egyptian authorities uncovered the spy ring and sentenced two of the members to death. The actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has a . "We have six grandchildren," she says with pride as she points to a family photo on the wall. He was supposed to stay in Buenos Aires as a Syrian migr businessman named Kamal Amin Taabet. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. And much of the credit for Israels ability to capture the Golan was due to Eli Cohen, Israels greatest spy. 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. Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. For more than 50 years, Nadia has fought to have her husbands body returned to Israel. Eli Cohen was now a member of the inner circle of power. 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. After the Israel Independence War In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. 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 was tortured, but he wouldnt give away any incriminating information about Israel. 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. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. 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. They warned me not to discuss the issue with Eli anymore and to share his secret with no one.". His graduate report stated that he had all the qualities needed to become a katsa, or field agent. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. 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. 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. 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's brothers Abraham and Maurice led a campaign to return his remains; Maurice died in 2006, and Nadia now leads it. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: , Arabic: ; 6 December 1924 18 May 1965), commonly known as Eli Cohen, was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. Eli found out about Syria's secret plan to attack the Israeli defense forces. 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. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. According to al-Gamal's version, he saw a photograph in an Arab newspaper at a newspaper stand in Frankfurt's train station that showed Amin Kamel Thabet touring fortifications on the Golan Heights with Syrian officers. 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. In 1960, Cohen was approached by the Mossad for a mission in Syria. [4], Cohen provided an extensive amount and wide range of intelligence data for the Israeli Army between 1961 and 1965. But the intelligence officers convinced him to go back one last time. In addition, the commander of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani trusted no one and disliked Eli. Al-Gamal, for his part, adopted the Jewish identity of Jacques Biton and immigrated to Israel from France on the orders of Egyptian intelligence. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. Cohen accepted the calling. Still Ben-Dor, who was four years old when her father was killed, said she was pleasantly surprised by actor Cohens portrayal. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. He wrote a last letter to his wife before he mounted the scaffold to a seething crowd. One of the ministrys directors entered the room unannounced. His training was extensive and exhaustive. [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. 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. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. (Haim Zach/GPO). This week, KAN 11 began broadcasting a documentary series "Lochem 566," (Fighter 566, Cohen's Mossad codename). On 18 May 1965, Eli cohen was woken by the jailer and fastened the noose, and hang up, the huge poster was fastened on his chest where his sentence was written in Arabic. "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. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. His new friends introduced Eli to top government officials, senior army officers, and leaders of the ruling party. Eli was friends with two highly placed Army officers, Colonels Hatoum and Dali, who were fully informed about the scheme. The three major tributaries of the upper Jordan River the Dan, the Baniyas, and the Hatzbani all originate in the Golan. 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. he supplies Eli with inside information about the political and military situation. But within a month he had lost his Tel Aviv-based accountancy job. He worked as an accountant and translator. Scheffeldt, 63, is the widow of Rifa'at al-Gamal, an Egyptian spy who reportedly operated in Israel for a number of years. Eli visited other Arab friends as Abdel Latif Hassan and his briefcase was full of enthusiastic letters of recommendation. At the same time, Israeli officials devised escape schemes and appealed to international organizations. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. The unit bombed unoccupied American and British installations, expecting that this would be considered the work of Egyptians. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. References ^ Eli Cohen Knesset ^ Eli Cohen Ministry of Economy and Industry ^ Kulanu list Central Elections Committee He also held parties at his home for high-placed Syrian ministers, businessmen, and others. The execution was broadcast on Syrian television. [9], Cohen continued his social life as he had in Argentina, spending time in cafes listening to political gossip. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. On his last visit, in 1964, he told intelligence officers he wanted to come in from the cold because he was concerned a new Syrian intelligence commander did not like him. Elis friendship with Amin al-Hafez proved very valuable. Before he was executed, Cohen met with a rabbi, as per his request, and sent his wife a letter. 4 Min Read. Syrian counterintelligence eventually uncovered the spy conspiracy and convicted Cohen under pre-war martial law, sentencing him to death and hanging him publicly in 1965. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. He was stunned by the precision of the Israeli bombing during the 1964 attack. Please try again or choose an option below. He ultimately complied. 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. They observed a period of radio silence, in the hope that any illegal transmissions could be identified. He died in 2009. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Israel in 1957. 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. "Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!". 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. 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. [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. But what happened next apparently deviates from the way it appears in the show. I want him (Yossi Cohen) to clarify what hapepned," said the 84-year-old. For a while, Cohen tried his hand at civilian life. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. But it . I want him, here and now, because I've reached the age that I deserve tranquillity. 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. Eli was, however, taken in by 'Mossad' when Director-General Meir Amit was in search of a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government. It takes just a few seconds. Eli had lost his friends, in 1957 he immigrates to Israel. It went wrong, really wrong," he said. Cohen was publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square in Damascus on 18 May 1965. Eli Cohenbecame certain that Israel had spied in the Syrian government. 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. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. On January 25, 2000, Nadia presented a picture of a new postage stamp with Elis face, to Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, honoring her husband. "I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has past," his final letter read. Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. Kamal Amin Taabet (also called Tabas in some sources) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Syrian Muslim parents. "I want to ask wasn't Eli worth the price? 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. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. In 1954, Egyptian authorities arrested Eli for being a terror suspect. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. [12][16], In 2016, a Syrian group calling itself "Syrian art treasures" posted a video on Facebook showing Cohen's body after his execution. In the 1970s, they left Israel for Germany and in 1982, al-Gamal, alias Jacques Biton, died of an illness. [7][9] The Israel Defense Forces recruited him in 1957 and placed him in military intelligence, where he became a counter-intelligence analyst. 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. 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. 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. become close friends. Recalling Elis final days, Nadia states he was in Bat Yam, with her and the three babies. Khalid al-Hafidh, a Syrian migrant living in Auckland, claims to be the son Amin al-Hafiz, a Syrian leader who presided over the country during Cohen's execution and his subsequent secret burial. He would also lend money to government officials, and many came to him for advice. After his execution, a white parchment filled with anti-Zionist writing was put on his body, and he was left hanging for six hours. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. 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. 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. It doesnt fit our story but I understand the situation. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. He had three brothers. Where Is Nadia Cohen Now? In real life, Cohen was only able to return to Israel a few times during his mission. His family is now settled in Bat Yam. 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. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. 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. He then moved to Damascus in February 1962, under his new identity, Kamel Amin Thaabet, to extract classified information from Syrian military officers. children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen Born Country: Egypt Spies Israeli Men Died on: May 18, 1965 place of death: Al Marjeh Square, Damascus, Syria Notable Alumni: Cairo Farouk University Cause of Death: Executed By Hanging City: Alexandria, Egypt More Facts Recommended Lists: Israeli Celebrities Male Spies Israeli Spies Capricorn Men One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. The Spy is streaming globally on Netflix. The Golan is not only important for its military significance. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". He was caught and sentenced to death. Eli Cohen was the man for the job. "You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. They successfully detected radio transmissions and were able to triangulate the transmitter. [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. 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. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. 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. In November that year, Nadia, wrote to Syrian politician and former president of Syria (19712000) Hafez al-Assad, asking him to forgive Eli and requesting him to hand over her husbands remains. Nadia was told that Eli was working for the ministry of defense and would be completely safe. How is it that you dare allow a stranger to read a classified document? he angrily asked Saif. Monthir Maosily, a former bureau chief for Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, claimed in 2007 that Hafiz and Cohen were not as close as was made out and that stories of Cohen infiltrating the very top of Syrian politics "had been exaggerated to undermine Syria, as if he was a spy who had transmitted Syria's deepest secrets.".