Eli Cohen has iconic status in Israel, in spite of being dead 45 years already.
Cohen was an Israeli spy planted in Damascus in 1961, purportedly as a returning emigre from South America. He successfully penetrated government circles, eventually being mooted for a position as deputy secretary of defense. In 1965 he was identified, arrested, tortured and tried, before being publicly hanged in the center of Damascus.
His activity apparently contributed significantly to Israel's ability to beat the Syrian defenses on the Golan in 1967.
His remains have never been returned, in spite of Israeli attempts to include them in exchanges of prisoners following the three wars we've had with Syria since his hanging.
Someone has now dug up a recording of an interview he gave Radio Damascus not long before his arrest. You can't be an Israeli and not listen to this voice from the past with fascination.
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3 comments:
Mooted, not muted.
Oops! Fixed it, thanks.
Great movie made of Cohen's story in 1987:
"The Impossible Spy" with Eli Wallach and John Shea
Nycerbarb
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