How a fake businessman nearly became the deputy defense minister of Syria

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Eli Cohen was an Egyptian-born spy who infiltrated the highest echelons of the Syrian government. By posing as a wealthy expatriate, he gained the trust of the nation's elite, including future president Amin al-Hafez. His intelligence work was legendary, yet a simple, repeated mistake ultimately led to his public execution.

Born in Alexandria in 1924, Eli Cohen possessed a rare linguistic talent that made him an ideal candidate for Israeli intelligence. After settling in Israel in 1957, he was recruited in 1960 and underwent rigorous training. His mission began in 1961 in Buenos Aires, where he adopted the alias Kamal Amin Thaabet. By embedding himself within the Syrian expatriate community, he cultivated relationships with influential figures, most notably Amin al-Hafez, a military attaché who would eventually seize power in Syria.

In 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus, where his cover allowed him unprecedented access to the Syrian power structure. Following a 1963 coup led by his associates, Cohen’s influence grew significantly. He was granted tours of sensitive military fortifications in the Golan Heights and received classified briefings. His standing was so secure that the regime reportedly considered appointing him as deputy minister of defense, a position that would have placed him at the heart of the Syrian military establishment.

Despite his success, Cohen’s operational security was flawed. His handlers in Israel had warned him against transmitting radio messages too frequently or at predictable times, yet he consistently ignored these instructions. In January 1965, Syrian counterintelligence successfully tracked his radio signal. He was apprehended while transmitting, subjected to a military trial, and publicly hanged in Damascus on May 18, 1965. His operation remains one of the most significant intelligence-gathering efforts in Israeli history.

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