Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency has made a remarkable recovery of thousands of historical documents, photographs, and personal items belonging to legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen, sixty years after his execution in Syria. The announcement was made on Sunday, commemorating the anniversary of Cohen’s hanging in Damascus on May 18, 1965.
Mossad reported that these recovered items, approximately 2,500 in total, were obtained in a complex operation conducted in collaboration with a strategic partner intelligence agency. The materials have been described as part of the “official Syrian archive” on Cohen, which had been kept secret by Syrian security forces for decades.
Among the significant artifacts returned are Cohen’s original handwritten will, composed shortly before his execution, as well as personal letters addressed to his family back in Israel. The cache also includes forged documents and passports, keys to his apartment in Damascus, and photographs showing Cohen with high-ranking Syrian officials during his undercover work in the 1960s.
During a ceremony for the presentation of some items to Cohen’s widow, Nadia Cohen, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised him as a “legend,” emphasizing that Cohen’s intelligence work was instrumental in shaping the outcome of the 1967 Six-Day War. Mossad Director David Barnea echoed these sentiments, referring to the recovery of the archives as “a significant achievement with deep moral and historical value.” Barnea also noted the agency’s ongoing efforts to locate Cohen’s burial site in Syria.
This announcement aligns with earlier reports, including those from December regarding Israel’s attempts to engage with contacts in Syria to find Cohen’s grave. There is optimism among Israeli officials that future political changes in Syria could potentially facilitate this search.
Through the recovery of Eli Cohen’s belongings, Israel not only honors his legacy but also reinforces its commitment to bringing home all of its missing and captured individuals. The materials recovered serve as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made in the name of national security and intelligence.