In a dramatic and unexpected turn, Syria has returned the personal belongings of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen, in what Reuters reports was a calculated move to signal goodwill toward then-U.S. President Donald Trump and pave the way for potential diplomatic calm with Israel.
According to a Syrian security source cited in the report published Tuesday evening, the decision was approved at the highest levels of the Syrian leadership. The source stated that the move was intended to build trust with the Trump administration and to subtly signal an interest in easing tensions with the Jewish state.
The report further reveals that Cohen’s belongings were discovered by Syrian rebels after the fall of regime-held positions during the civil war. Once in the hands of Syrian authorities, the decision was made to offer the items as a gesture of reconciliation.
“The Syrian leadership understood that Eli Cohen’s belongings held deep emotional and national value for Israel,” the security source explained, adding that the move was designed to be “a significant diplomatic gesture.”
Reuters also noted that the Syrian government saw the gesture as a tool to generate leverage in indirect negotiations. The items were used by Syrian officials as part of a broader diplomatic strategy involving pressure and potential engagement with Israel — all under the umbrella of seeking favor with the United States.
The report highlights that indirect talks between Israel and Syria, mediated by the United Arab Emirates, have already taken place. More such backchannel communications are reportedly expected to open in the future.
Eli Cohen, one of Israel’s most celebrated intelligence agents, infiltrated the highest echelons of Syria’s political and military elite in the 1960s before being captured and executed in 1965. His legacy continues to resonate deeply in Israeli society, and his remains have yet to be returned. The repatriation of his belongings marks a rare and symbolic development in the long-frozen relations between Israel and Syria.
It had previous been reported that the Mossad had recovered the official Syrian security forces archive on Cohen, including documents, photos, and personal belongings.