Mossad recovers Eli Cohens Israeli wristwatch

The Mossad, the Israeli Institute of Intelligence and Special Operations, recently recovered a wristwatch belonging to the spy Eli Cohen, whose publication was authorized Thursday.

Eli Cohen, the spy of Israel in Damascus was caught and hanged by the Syrians in 1965.

His wristwatch was found in a recent special operation of the Mossad.

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"After the execution of Eli Cohen on May 18, 1965, the wristwatch was held by an enemy state.At the return of the watch in Israel, special operations of Research and intelligence have resulted in the unequivocal determination that Cohen's watch ", said Mossad.

At an annual memorial service to Cohen in May, Mossad's director, Yossi Cohen, introduced the wristwatch to the family of the spy.

"There was a great excitement, because it's basically the only dad's article that came back, we did not have anything else besides that", said Sofi Ben-Dor, the daughter of Cohen.

She said that the watch "has not been kept in perfect condition, but it is moving to know that dad has touched it, we have not touched it yet. he is in a setting in the lobby in front of the Mossad director's office. "

The wristwatch is now on display at the Mossad headquarters "as a badge of honor and in memory of the legendary fighter," said the agency in a statement.

He will be returned to the family at Rosh HaShana.

Ben-Dror stated that the grandchildren of the woman who was holding the wristwatch after Cohen's capture wanted to sell it. "They knew all these years that it belonged to her, and only when their grandmother was old enough did the grandchildren take advantage of the opportunity to make money," she explained. . "They approached Israeli officials, because they knew they could get more."

She said that DNA photos and badysis had been used to confirm that the watch belonged to her father.

Nadia Cohen, the widow of the Israeli spy, has told the military radio that a few months ago, the Mossad they had found the watch that was on sale, we do not know where, in what place, in which country, and of course the Mossad l? bought and did all the tests to make sure it was the right watch. "

" I decided that the watch would stay in the Mossad, I had the impression that it was part of his body, that part of his skin and part of her blood was in this watch, "she added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Mossad for "the determined and courageous operation, whose sole purpose was to make Israel a souvenir of a great fighter who greatly contributed to the security of the country." # 39; State. "

Mossad Director Yossi Cohen added, "We remember Eli Cohen and let us not forget: his legacy of dedication, determination, courage and dedication. love of the motherland is our heritage, the years with his family, Nadia and the children. "

" This year, at the end of an operational effort, we managed to locate and bring to Israel the watch -watch that Eli Cohen wore in Syria until the day he was part of Eli Cohen's operational image and was part of his fabricated Arab identity, "added the chief Mossad.

Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 and was a member of the group of young Zionists in Alexandria from an early age. He began engineering studies at the University of Alexandria, but had to give up due to the increase of hatred towards Jews in Egypt after the War of Independence of 1948.

In the early 1950s, Cohen was part of a spy network of young Egyptian Jews, which was operated by the Israeli secret services. After the network was exposed in 1954 by Egyptian intelligence agencies – in what was later known as the Lavon affair – he was interrogated and eventually released.

Cohen Aliya made his Aliya in Israel in 1957. Shortly thereafter, he began discussions with the IDF Intelligence Directorate, but these talks failed to bear fruit. In 1960, Cohen was recruited by Israeli intelligence services. Later, he was sent to Argentina to establish a fictional identity of an Arab businessman, a former Syrian, named Kamal Amin Ta'abet.

In 1961, Cohen enters Syria and begins his infiltration activity. Over time, he has climbed the social and political ladder and has established close ties with the upper echelons of the Syrian leadership. At the peak of his activity, Cohen was appointed for the role of Deputy Minister of Defense of Syria.

Taking advantage of his many connections, Cohen transferred valuable information to Israel about the deployment of the Syrian army in the Golan Heights.

He also reported on various military and political movements, before being captured in 1965 and executed.