Eli Cohen worked as a Mossad agent in Damascus, Syria under the alias of Kamal Amin Ta’abet from 1962 until his exposure and execution on May 18, 1965. Cohen infiltrated the upper echelons of Syria’s ruling elite and was able to supply Israel with considerable details on Syrian political and military matters.
Cohen’s infiltration was so thorough that he was considered for the role of Syria’s Deputy Minister of Defense. He was the only civilian to receive private tours of military installations, and was even photographed in the then Syrian-controlled Golan Heights with high ranking Syrian officials looking over into Israel.
It has been 38 years since Cohen was hanged and despite constant efforts by activists to secure the return of his body to Israel, it remains in Syrian hands. “The Syrian government refuses to return his remains to his family for a proper Jewish burial in Israel where ‘Kaddish’ can be said at his gravesite,” says a web site maintained by activists on behalf of Cohen’s family.
Now, in the aftermath of the massive prisoner exchange between Israel and Syrian-backed Hizbullah, as well as Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s attempts to reduce the likelihood of an American attack on his country, voices are being heard on Cohen’s behalf.
In the past few weeks the Zaka organization (The Organization for the Recovery of Disaster Victims) – known for their work to ensure proper burial after terror attacks – has been making contact with different world authorities to pressure Syria for the return of Eli Cohen’s remains to Israel.
ZAKA Director Yehuda Meshi-Zahav and Cohen’s widow Nadia held a press conference today to announce the campaign’s launch. Meshi-Zahav announced the recruitment of senior political figures in the US, among them top cabinet members, senators and members of congress. Representatives of the organization have met over the past few months with US Treasury Secretary George Bolton, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and several prominent Catholic and Jewish leaders in order to apply pressure on Syrian president Bashar Assad to release Cohen’s remains.
Pope John Paul II is also said to have joined in the effort to secure a proper burial for Israel’s “Man in Damascus”. The Pope is expected to send a letter to Syrian President in the coming days.
ZAKA believes that only a humanitarian organization that acts in the name or respect for the deceased can succeed where other groups and officials have failed. Nadia Cohen expressed her disappointment at the press conference over the fact that her husband’s remains were not included in the recent prisoner exchange, nor was her husband even mentioned in remarks made last week by the Defense Minister or the Chief of General Staff when they mentioned the three MIAs from the 1982 Lebanon war, whose fate remains unknown.
"The Syrians should give Eli's bones back as an act of goodwill," said Avraham Cohen, Eli's younger brother. He criticized last week's exchange, saying countries on all sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict should turn over the remains of all dead prisoners on humanitarian grounds.
Under last week's exchange, Israel released more than 400 prisoners and the remains of 60 Lebanese terrorists in return for Israeli businessman Elhanan Tenenbaum and the remains of three Israeli soldiers held by Hizbullah.
Cohen’s infiltration was so thorough that he was considered for the role of Syria’s Deputy Minister of Defense. He was the only civilian to receive private tours of military installations, and was even photographed in the then Syrian-controlled Golan Heights with high ranking Syrian officials looking over into Israel.
It has been 38 years since Cohen was hanged and despite constant efforts by activists to secure the return of his body to Israel, it remains in Syrian hands. “The Syrian government refuses to return his remains to his family for a proper Jewish burial in Israel where ‘Kaddish’ can be said at his gravesite,” says a web site maintained by activists on behalf of Cohen’s family.
Now, in the aftermath of the massive prisoner exchange between Israel and Syrian-backed Hizbullah, as well as Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s attempts to reduce the likelihood of an American attack on his country, voices are being heard on Cohen’s behalf.
In the past few weeks the Zaka organization (The Organization for the Recovery of Disaster Victims) – known for their work to ensure proper burial after terror attacks – has been making contact with different world authorities to pressure Syria for the return of Eli Cohen’s remains to Israel.
ZAKA Director Yehuda Meshi-Zahav and Cohen’s widow Nadia held a press conference today to announce the campaign’s launch. Meshi-Zahav announced the recruitment of senior political figures in the US, among them top cabinet members, senators and members of congress. Representatives of the organization have met over the past few months with US Treasury Secretary George Bolton, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and several prominent Catholic and Jewish leaders in order to apply pressure on Syrian president Bashar Assad to release Cohen’s remains.
Pope John Paul II is also said to have joined in the effort to secure a proper burial for Israel’s “Man in Damascus”. The Pope is expected to send a letter to Syrian President in the coming days.
ZAKA believes that only a humanitarian organization that acts in the name or respect for the deceased can succeed where other groups and officials have failed. Nadia Cohen expressed her disappointment at the press conference over the fact that her husband’s remains were not included in the recent prisoner exchange, nor was her husband even mentioned in remarks made last week by the Defense Minister or the Chief of General Staff when they mentioned the three MIAs from the 1982 Lebanon war, whose fate remains unknown.
"The Syrians should give Eli's bones back as an act of goodwill," said Avraham Cohen, Eli's younger brother. He criticized last week's exchange, saying countries on all sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict should turn over the remains of all dead prisoners on humanitarian grounds.
Under last week's exchange, Israel released more than 400 prisoners and the remains of 60 Lebanese terrorists in return for Israeli businessman Elhanan Tenenbaum and the remains of three Israeli soldiers held by Hizbullah.