Israel Seeks Return of Body of Legendary Spy Eli Cohen from Syria

Israel is ramping up efforts to recover the remains of Eli Cohen, a renowned spy executed by Syria in 1965. Cohen, operating under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet, infiltrated Syria's political elite and gathered crucial intelligence that contributed to Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Cohen was arrested in January 1965 after Syrian intelligence uncovered his covert radio transmissions. Despite international appeals for clemency, he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, in Damascus. The location of his burial site remains undisclosed, with reports indicating that Syrian authorities have relocated his body multiple times to prevent retrieval by Israel.

The recent collapse of the Assad regime has created new possibilities for negotiations. Israeli officials, including Mossad Director David Barnea, are reportedly in talks with former members of the Syrian government, facilitated by Russian mediators. In 2018, Israel successfully retrieved Cohen's wristwatch from Syria, reigniting interest in recovering his remains.

Cohen, born in 1924 in Egypt, moved to Israel in 1948. He was recruited by Mossad in the early 1960s, where he crafted a cover as a Syrian businessman in order to gain intelligence on Syrian military operations.