The widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen who was executed on Monday appealed to Russia to recover the bones of her late husband after reports surfaced online over the weekend that Russian soldiers were looking for a corp.
“I want to believe that we are not getting our hopes up for anything,” Nadia Cohen told the Ynet studio in an interview. “I urge the Russians to help, use your abilities to bring it back to be buried in Israel. ”
Although Ray Al-Youm is considered a reliable source, he has published false reports about searches for Cohen’s remains.
“I would like to believe it [the veracity of the reports], It gives us hope and hope that this is not just castles in the air and that there is great interest in bringing it to be buried in the Land of Israel. His last wish, if not his life, was certainly in death, “she said.
Working under the name Kamel Amin Thabet, Cohen began his covert activities in Syria in 1961. He was able to promote close relations with the Syrian political and military hierarchy and became a chief adviser to the defense minister.
He provided valuable information to Israel regarding the use of the Syrian army in the Golan Heights and described military and political movements until its cover was blown by Syrian anti-Semitism in January 1965.
Cohen was arrested and despite public and covert efforts on behalf of Israel, was charged and executed.
The Syrians described Eli Cohen as “the greatest Israeli spy ever to work in an Arab country.”
The documentary begins with a film purchased from an antique store in Saint Petersburg. The film shows images of a man, believed to be Cohen, walking down March 29 street in Damascus.
The creators of the series report that the video was shot by Boris Lukin, a graduate of a Soviet military academy and an expert in signals and communication, who showed Soviet records receiving three “red star” medals.
Lukin and Cohen both reached Damascus at the same time. One of Cohen’s code messages back to Israel had talked about the arrival of 150 Soviet military experts in Damascus after the Soviet-western war in Syria moved toward Moscow when the Baath swept to power. The Mossad also knew that Lukin had reached Damascus. Both Lukin and Cohen would break down the Nazis who had fled while in Damascus.
Nadia said the pictures show Eli broken and locked.
“He looked dead to me,” she said.
“I watched the movies for the first time and my excitement peaked. We saw Eli walking down Damascus. Someone was shooting and he turned his head away from the camera. You can see that Eli is broken. He is not I saw Eli dead in front of me, his hand in his pocket, as if he needed someone to hold them for him, not Eli ‘s strength, his courage. [were gone]. There was no need to release her [the footage]. “
Cohen is currently working to establish a museum in Herzliya in memory of her late husband.