Eli Cohen Archives Retrieved by Israel 60 Years Later
The retrieval of Eli Cohen's archives marks a significant milestone in Israel's efforts to uncover the truth about its legendary spy, and the operation is a testament to the country's commitment to its missing, captives, and hostages. The recovered documents and personal items will provide valuable insights into Cohen's activities and fate, and may also shed light on the possibility of recovering his remains.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has handed over items belonging to famous Israeli spy Eli Cohen to his widow, Nadia, 60 years after Cohen's public hanging in Syria, following a covert operation that retrieved 2,500 items from Syria.
The Mossad operation, conducted in cooperation with an allied foreign intelligence service, retrieved the official Syrian archive on Cohen, which included 2,500 original documents, photographs, and personal items. The archive was compartmentalized and held by Syrian security forces for decades. The documents, photographs, and personal items were collected by Syrian intelligence after Cohen's capture in January 1965 and include recordings, letters, and photographs of his covert activity in Syria.
The archive includes the original will written by Cohen before his execution, which was previously only available in a copy. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called Cohen a legend and the "greatest intelligence agent in the annals of the state," and stated that his heroism contributed to Israel's victory in the Six Day War. The archive is seen as a testament to Israel's commitment to bringing back its missing, captives, and hostages.
The Mossad Director, David Barnea, said that the retrieval of the archives is a step towards advancing the investigation to locate Cohen's burial site in Damascus. The recovered materials include handwritten letters from Cohen to his family, photos, and personal belongings such as keys to his Damascus apartment. The collection also includes Cohen's original will, which he drafted just hours before his execution, as well as documents detailing his communications with senior Syrian officials and intelligence gathered during his time undercover in Syria.
The operation is seen as a significant achievement for the Mossad, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed it as a "historic" achievement. The recovered documents are expected to provide valuable insights into Cohen's activities and the circumstances of his execution, and may also shed light on the possibility of recovering his remains.