Israel’s Mossad has recovered thousands of documents and personal items belonging to Eli Cohen, a spy executed in Syria in 1965. His handwritten will and personal letters were among the artifacts recovered in a covert operation. This significant find was announced on the 60th anniversary of Cohen’s execution, and some items were presented to his widow at a ceremony involving Israeli leaders.
In a significant development, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency has successfully recovered thousands of personal items and documents belonging to the legendary spy Eli Cohen, nearly six decades after his execution in Syria. This operation was announced on Sunday, coinciding with the anniversary of Cohen’s public hanging on May 18, 1965. The recovery of these materials was said to have involved a complex and clandestine mission, executed in collaboration with a strategic partner intelligence agency.
Among the treasures recovered is Cohen’s original handwritten will, a poignant document crafted just hours prior to his execution. In addition to this, personal letters addressed to his family residing in Israel have also been retrieved. Other notable items include forged documents, passports, keys to his Damascus apartment, and an array of photographs depicting Cohen alongside high-ranking Syrian military and government officials from his clandestine activities in the 1960s.
During a recent ceremony attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director David Barnea, some of these artifacts were formally presented to Nadia Cohen, Eli Cohen’s widow. This event underscored the profound significance of the materials that include not only personal mementos but also key intelligence files compiled by Syrian authorities after Cohen’s capture in 1965. Among these files are investigative records and surveillance notes, as well as notebooks that were found in his apartment.
The recovered documents also detail Mossad’s mission assignments which involved tracking specific targets, in addition to gathering vital intelligence on Syrian military facilities located in the Golan Heights. A particularly notable document found among the cache was the original court ruling that condemned Cohen to death, which allowed the chief rabbi of the Damascus Jewish community to provide him spiritual guidance according to Jewish practice.
Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked on Cohen’s legendary status, emphasizing his contributions to Israel’s military strategies, notably during the Six-Day War in 1967. “The Eli Cohen archive, brought here through a special effort, will educate generations and reflects our unceasing commitment to return all of our missing, captives and hostages,” he stated.
Mossad Director Barnea further described this effort as being of great moral and historical significance. He also reiterated the ongoing endeavors to locate Cohen’s final resting place in Syria, stating, “We will continue working to bring home all of Israel’s missing, fallen and abducted—those who live, for rehabilitation, and those who fell, for burial in Israel.”
The retrieval of Eli Cohen’s personal documents and belongings marks an important chapter in Israel’s efforts to reclaim its historical legacy. This operation highlights not only the significance of Cohen’s espionage work but also the enduring commitment of the Israeli government and intelligence community to honor and remember their missing and fallen. As these treasures find their way back into the hands of his family, they also serve to educate future generations on Cohen’s impactful role in shaping Israeli history during a tumultuous period.
Original Source: www.ynetnews.com
