India Morning News
In a dramatic and highly sensitive intelligence operation, Israel has successfully retrieved thousands of personal items and classified documents belonging to its most legendary spy, Eli Cohen, from deep inside Syria. The mission, carried out by the Mossad, culminated just ahead of the 60th anniversary of Cohen’s execution in Damascus on May 18, 1965.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed the covert operation during a meeting in Jerusalem with Nadia Cohen, the widow of the famed operative. Among the 2,500 recovered items are handwritten letters to his family, intelligence reports, photographs, personal belongings, and Syrian intelligence documents collected after his arrest. Also included were Cohen’s false passports, keys to his Damascus apartment, and even correspondence from Nadia’s tireless campaign to secure his release.
“This was a special operation by the State of Israel and the Mossad to recover Eli Cohen’s archive, which had been hidden in Syrian intelligence safes for six decades,” Netanyahu told Nadia Cohen, describing the recovery as a national tribute to her late husband’s unparalleled service.
Eli Cohen infiltrated the highest levels of Syria’s political and military leadership in the early 1960s, posing as a wealthy Arab businessman. His daring intelligence-gathering missions provided Israel with crucial strategic insights that contributed significantly to its victory in the 1967 Six-Day War. Captured in 1965 while transmitting information to Israel, he was tried, convicted, and publicly hanged in Damascus. Despite decades of diplomatic efforts, his body has never been returned.
The return of his archive is both symbolic and emotional. For the Cohen family and many Israelis, it rekindles hope for recovering his remains. “The most important thing is still to bring him home,” said Nadia, urging Netanyahu to continue the search.
Netanyahu assured her that efforts were ongoing. The recent recovery of an Israeli soldier’s remains from Syria after 42 years demonstrates that such missions, while complex, remain possible.
“Eli is not just a spy; he is a national hero, an Israeli legend,” said Netanyahu. “There was no one like him.”
The retrieved archive will likely be preserved as part of Israel’s national heritage, ensuring Eli Cohen’s legacy continues to inspire generations to come.
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