Rediscovery of Eli Cohen’s Legacy
Once upon a time in Damascus, Kamal Amin Tabet was not just a name. He mingled effortlessly among the Syrian elite, both trusted and unnoticed. Yet, beneath this carefully crafted facade lay an Israeli spy, who relayed vital secrets back to his homeland. His double life came to a tragic end sixty years ago with a public execution.
This week, Israel uncovered thousands of documents tied to Cohen from covert Syrian archives.
Who was Eli Cohen?
Eli Cohen was born in 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt, to Syrian Jewish parents. Far from ordinary, his fluency in Arabic, English, and French set him apart as an ideal candidate for espionage.
After his expulsion from Egypt post-Suez crisis, Cohen made his way to Israel in 1957. He initially worked as a translator and accountant before the Israeli spy agency Mossad recognized his potential.
By 1960, Cohen was embarking on a mission that would cement his legend. Under the guise of a Syrian businessman named Kamal Amin Tabet, he relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina. There, he won the trust of the Syrian expatriate community and forged connections that enabled him access to Syrian political and military figures.
In 1962, he took the risky step of moving to Damascus, swiftly becoming a trusted insider. His cover story was flawless. Using his connections, he climbed the social ladder toward the centers of power. His influence deepened even more following the 1963 Baathist coup, which brought some of his Argentine contacts into positions of authority.
Between 1961 and 1965, Cohen accumulated crucial intelligence on Syrian military strategies, particularly regarding the Golan Heights—a region of great strategic interest to Israel. His deep access made him a candidate for prestigious roles, even as high as vice minister.
As tensions rose, particularly after the 1963 coup, Cohen’s intelligence work became instrumental, significantly aiding Israeli preparations for the Six-Day War in 1967. Through his efforts, Israel obtained critical insights into Syrian military plans and operations.
However, success came at a cost. Despite warnings from his Mossad handlers, Cohen was somewhat reckless with his radio communications, sending signals predictably, which put him at risk of detection.
In January 1965, his careless behavior led to his capture. After a swift trial, he was publicly executed that May.
In 2019, Netflix released a limited series titled Spy, featuring Sacha Baron Cohen, which dramatized Eli Cohen’s covert operations in Syria.
Recently, Israel conducted a secret operation that resulted in the acquisition of over 2,500 items from Syrian intelligence archives. Among these artifacts were personal letters to his family, forged passports, keys to his apartment in Damascus, and mission briefings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally presented these items to Cohen’s widow, Nadia.
