Was this man a hero or a spy? Here we stand before the memorial to Eli Cohen in Jerusalem. He was a man of many names and faces. Eli Cohen is remembered as one of Israel’s most legendary spies. He infiltrated the highest levels of Syrian government in the 1960s.
Eli Cohen was born Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen in Alexandria, Egypt in 1924. His family were Mizrahi Jews. They were deeply committed to Judaism. He planned to become a rabbi. He was fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, English, French, and Spanish.
His parents and brothers immigrated to Israel in 1949. Eli stayed in Egypt to finish his degree. He also helped consolidate Zionist efforts. He was involved in covert Israeli efforts in Egypt in the 1950s.
In 1956, he was forced to leave Egypt. He immigrated to Israel. In 1959, he married Nadia Majald. They had three children.
In 1957, the Israel Defense Forces recruited him. He worked in military intelligence. He wanted to join the Mossad. At first, Mossad rejected him. He then worked as a filing clerk.
Meir Amit, the Director-General of Mossad, recruited Eli Cohen. He needed an intelligence officer to infiltrate the Syrian government. Cohen underwent intensive training. He was given a false identity. He would pose as a Syrian businessman who was returning from Argentina.
In 1961, Eli Cohen moved to Buenos Aires. He established his cover. He moved to Damascus in 1962. He used the name Kamel Amin Thabet. He lived in a fancy neighborhood. It was full of embassies and government buildings.
Mossad planned how he would build relationships with high-ranking Syrian officials. Cohen socialized in cafes. He listened to political gossip. He held parties at his home for Syrian ministers and businessmen.
Eli Cohen dispensed free-flowing liquor. Highly-placed officials openly discussed their work and army plans. Cohen pretended to be drunk. He paid close attention. He lent money to government officials. Many came to him for advice. He almost became deputy minister of defense.
Between 1961 and 1965, Eli Cohen provided a lot of intelligence to Israel. He sent information by radio, secret letters, and in person. He visited Israel three times. He toured the Golan Heights. He collected intelligence on Syrian fortifications.
He suggested that trees be planted to provide shade for soldiers. During the Six-Day War, the Israel Defense Forces used those trees as targeting markers. He learned of a secret plan for three lines of bunkers and mortars. He found out that the Syrians planned to divert the Jordan River headwaters.
In 1963, there was a Syrian coup d’état. The new intelligence colonel, Ahmed Suidani, disliked and distrusted Eli Cohen. In 1964, Eli Cohen expressed his fear of discovery to Mossad. He wanted to end his assignment in Syria. Israeli intelligence asked him to return one more time.
In January 1965, Syrian officials used Soviet-made tracking equipment. They detected radio transmissions. They triangulated the transmitter. Syrian security services broke into Cohen’s apartment on January 24. They caught him transmitting to Israel.
Eli Cohen was found guilty of espionage. He was sentenced to death under martial law. He was interrogated and tortured. Israel launched an international campaign for clemency. Diplomats and even the Pope tried to intervene.
On May 18, 1965, Eli Cohen was publicly hanged in Damascus. His last wish was to see a rabbi. He was allowed to write a final letter to his wife. Syria refused to return his body to Israel.
Eli Cohen has become a national hero in Israel. Many streets and neighborhoods are named after him. This memorial stone in the Garden of the Missing Soldiers here in Mount Herzl Jerusalem stands as a testament to his life. His wristwatch was retrieved from Syria in 2018. It is now on display at Mossad headquarters. Eli Cohen’s legacy continues to inspire.