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The Legacy of Eli Cohen — and Implications for Israel-Syria Relations Today
Venerated Israeli spy Eli Cohen.
In the aftermath of President Trump’s meeting with Syria’s President Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, as of this writing, there are rumors of the imminent return of Israeli hero Eli Cohen’s remains — close to the day of his execution 60 years ago.
The story of Eli Cohen’s life deserves to be remembered — even if he had never gone undercover in Syria.
When Eli Cohen was publicly executed by the Syrian government on May 18, 1965, it was already clear to both Israelis and Syrians that he had succeeded in befriending the Syrian president and had penetrated the highest levels of the Syrian regime. What was not yet known, however, was that he had gathered the intelligence that would later help save the State of Israel from destruction.
Perhaps more than any other individual, Eli Cohen — an Egyptian-born Jew — earned the Mossad its reputation as one of the world’s most formidable intelligence services. His work paved the way for Israel’s success on the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War in June 1967.
As a young man in Cairo, Cohen was deeply moved by the 1944 trial of two members of the Stern Group (LEHI), Eliahu Bet-Zouri and Eliahu Hakim. These two had assassinated the antisemitic British High Commissioner for the Middle East, Lord Moyne.
Cohen helped organize demonstrations in support of Bet-Zouri and Hakim. Though the protests proved fruitless — the men were hanged — on the scaffold, they maintained their dignity and sang the Zionist anthem, Hatikvah. It is said that Cohen later drew strength from their example as he, too, faced execution.
Cohen played a key role in establishing an “underground railroad” that smuggled Egyptian Jews to Israel. In the early 1950s, he was recruited by the Mossad to help monitor ex-Nazi scientists working for Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser on rocket development. Cohen reportedly also took part in sabotage operations.
After this Mossad network was exposed and many members were arrested, Cohen moved to Israel in 1956. Following a brief adjustment period and service in the Israel Defense Forces, Cohen was offered a role as an intelligence analyst for the Mossad.
Eventually, he was approved for field duty.
Assuming the identity of Kamal Amin Taabet, a wealthy Arab merchant who had emigrated to Argentina and then returned to Syria, Cohen infiltrated the highest echelons of Damascus society. He joined the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, and became close with many of its rising leaders.
After the Ba’ath Party came to power in a coup, many of Cohen’s acquaintances became high-ranking government and military officials, including intelligence chief Colonel Ahmad Suweidani and President Amin al-Hafiz.
As Taabet, Cohen was one of the few civilians ever permitted to tour Syrian military installations on the Golan Heights. He transmitted photographs and sketches of the entire Syrian front to the Mossad. In one instance, he even alerted Israel to an imminent attempt by Syrian commandos to cross the border.
Beyond intelligence gathering, Cohen was tasked with assassinating escaped Nazi war criminal Franz Rademacher, then living in a Syrian colony of former Nazis. That 1962 attempt failed. Cohen also participated in efforts to target Alois Brunner, Adolf Eichmann’s top aide, who had also found sanctuary in Syria. This dark chapter of Syrian history deserves renewed attention: even before the rise of the Assad regime, Syria’s government hated Jews enough to shelter Nazi war criminals. The famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal called Brunner “doubtless the worst … living criminal of the Third Reich” in 1988.
Cohen was ultimately discovered by chance, when his radio transmissions were detected by Soviet KGB agents operating in Damascus. At the time, he was reportedly being considered for a senior government post.
After two trials, Cohen was sentenced to death by hanging. He was 40 years old. He left behind a widow, three daughters, and a son. In his final letter to his wife, he wrote: “I beg of you not to waste time crying for me. Always think of the future.”
Cohen also left behind a warning to Israel’s future leaders: “Against the Arab you mustn’t defend yourself. You must attack.”
Cohen gave his life to ensure that the Syrian threat from the Golan could be neutralized.
Israel is now facing criticism for its continued presence on Mount Hermon, the highest strategic point in the Golan, since the IDF’s deployment there in December. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated in February 2025 that the IDF would remain in the area “for an indefinite period of time to protect our communities and thwart any threat.”
Katz is correct.
Future threats are not hypothetical.
There’s no way to know how long the fragile interim government of Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa will remain in power — let alone whether it will return to peace negotiations or collapse into chaos.
Let’s remember: the only thing that stood between Israel and Hafez al-Assad’s chemical weapons was the Golan Heights. The same remained true for his son, the deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad. Had Israel caved to international pressure, the Assads would have seized the Golan — and their weapons, including poison gas, would be aimed at the families of Israel’s Galilee, Jews and Arabs alike.
The Israeli government owes it to Eli Cohen not only to bring his remains home for reburial, but also to maintain a vigilant posture to limit threats from Syria — now and in the future.
The post The Legacy of Eli Cohen — and Implications for Israel-Syria Relations Today first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Says France ‘Rewarding Terror’ After Macron Announces Plan to Recognize Palestinian State
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference in Paris, France, June 12, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
France intends to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, drawing an immediate rebuke from Israel.
Macron, who announced the decision on X, published a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition and work to convincing other partners to follow suit.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron said.
“I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”
France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities, will become the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, potentially giving greater momentum to a movement so far dominated by smaller nations that are generally more critical of Israel.
The announcement sparked anger from Israel and is likely to get a tough response from Washington.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Macron’s decision, saying that such a move “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy.”
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the move as “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism,” adding that Israel would not allow the establishment of a “Palestinian entity that would harm our security, endanger our existence.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Macron’s “absurd and unserious” decision that Paris will formally recognize a Palestinian state.
“The French president’s pretension to conjure a permanent settlement in our land with a mere breath is absurd and unserious,” Saar said in a statement posted on X. “A Palestinian state would be a Hamas state — just as the [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago led to Hamas’s takeover there.”
Macron “cannot provide security for Israel,” Sa’ar added.
“Israel’s attempt to base its security on Palestinian promises to fight terror failed entirely in the Oslo process,” he continued, referring to the 1990s peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians that sought a two-state solution. “Israel will no longer gamble with its security and its future.”
In a diplomatic cable in June, the United States said it opposed any steps that would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state even saying it could go against US foreign policy interests and draw consequences.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Macron had been leaning towards recognizing a Palestinian state for months as part of a bid to keep the idea of a two-state solution alive despite the pressure not to do so.
French officials initially weighed up the move ahead of a United Nations conference, which France and Saudi Arabia had planned to co-host in June to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel‘s security.
The conference was postponed under US pressure and after the 12-day Israel-Iran air war began, during which regional airspace was closed, making it hard for representatives of some Arab states to attend.
It was rescheduled and downgraded to a ministerial event on July 28-29 with a second event taking place with heads of state and government on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September.
CREATING MOMENTUM
The decision to make the announcement ahead of next week’s conference aimed to give the French team at the United Nations a framework to work with other countries who are also considering recognizing a Palestinian state or still have misgivings in doing so.
Diplomats say Macron has faced resistance from allies such as Britain and Canada over his push for the recognition of a Palestinian state. Some 40 foreign ministers will be in New York next week.
Israeli officials have spent months lobbying to prevent what some have described as “a nuclear bomb” for bilateral relations.
The idea that France, one of Israel‘s closest allies and a G7 member, could recognize a Palestinian state, would certainly infuriate Netanyahu.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Israel‘s warnings to France have ranged from scaling back intelligence sharing to complicating Paris’ regional initiatives – even hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Thanking France, the Palestinian Authority’s Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh said on X that Macron’s decision reflected “France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.”
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Ukraine Declares Rabbi Nachman’s Tomb a National Heritage Site Ahead of Annual Uman Pilgrimage
Orthodox Jewish pilgrims dance outside the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov during celebrations marking Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, in Uman, Ukraine, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Oct. 2, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Ukrainian authorities have declared the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov a national heritage site, ahead of the annual pilgrimage that draws thousands of Jewish worshippers to Uman to honor the 18th-century founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced the decision on Wednesday during Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Kyiv — a move that underscores the strengthening ties between the two nations.
“I want to thank you for recognizing the site in Uman, the resting place of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, as a heritage site,” Saar said during a joint press conference.
“Both Ukraine and Israel are going through difficult times, but our countries are strong, and the friendship between us is steadfast. We will continue to deepen it and support one another,” the top Israeli diplomat said.
“I thank you for your hospitality. I look forward to building a better future for our children. And I invite you and hope to soon host you in Jerusalem, our eternal capital,” he continued.
Uman, a city in central Ukraine, has long been a major pilgrimage destination, drawing tens of thousands of observant Jews — primarily Haredim — who travel to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, the revered founder of the Breslover Hasidim.
Once home to a thriving Jewish community, Uman saw its residents devastated under Nazi occupation in 1941, with thousands murdered and 17,000 deported.
The local Jewish cemetery was destroyed during this time, including Rabbi Nachman’s grave, which was later recovered and relocated.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, several Orthodox Jewish families have returned to Uman.
Each year, an annual pilgrimage takes place around Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, drawing thousands to the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, who died in 1810. This year’s event is set to occur from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24.
Since 2020, Ukrainian officials have advised against making the pilgrimage — initially due to COVID-19 restrictions and later because of the ongoing war with Russia.
The pilgrimage faced major disruptions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to the suspension of many commercial flights. Since then, regional tensions in the Middle East — including the war in Gaza in 2023 and escalating conflicts with Iran in 2024 — have further complicated travel.
Last year, approximately 30,000 Israelis traveled to Uman for their annual celebration at the tomb, despite official warnings urging travelers to avoid the area.
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US, Israel Recall Negotiators From Gaza Ceasefire Talks, Witkoff Says ‘Selfish’ Hamas Not Showing Good Faith
Explosions send smoke into the air in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Israel and the United States both recalled their negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar on Thursday, with US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff saying that Hamas has not been acting in good faith and “clearly shows a lack of desire” to reach a deal despite weeks of mediated discussions with the Palestinian terrorist group.
“While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,” Witkoff posted on X/Twitter. “We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza. It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way. We are resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza.”
Witkoff’s statement came as Israeli officials also confirmed pulling its negotiating team from Doha for consultations, accusing Hamas of altering the terms of a potential ceasefire agreement just as talks appeared to be gaining momentum. The announcement also came amid mounting international concern over deteriorating conditions in Gaza, where the UN and multiple aid agencies have warned of a worsening hunger crisis. However, negotiations have stalled over what Israeli officials described as Hamas’s new and unrealistic demands concerning prisoner releases and terms for a permanent ceasefire.
“In light of the response conveyed by Hamas this morning, it has been decided to return the negotiating team for additional consultations in Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “We appreciate the efforts by the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, and the efforts of envoy Witkoff, to achieve a breakthrough in the negotiations.”
Hamas has demanded that Israel release 200 Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences for killing Israelis and another 2,000 Palestinians who were detained in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel, according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid. In exchange, Hamas would turn over 10 living hostages to Israel.
According to Ravid and Israeli journalist Amit Segal, Hamas specifically requested the release of 20 murderers for each living hostage, in addition to the 2,000 detainees.
Hamas’s new demands were part of its response following an earlier ceasefire proposal, accepted by Israel, which included the release of 125 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,200 Palestinians arrested by the Israeli military in Gaza after Oct. 7.
The terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades, also reportedly demanded that Israeli forces withdraw to smaller areas of territory in the enclave than previously discussed as part of the ceasefire and that UN agencies and international organizations should provide aid to the war-torn area rather than the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. In addition, Hamas demanded guarantees that Israel would not resume fighting after the 60-day ceasefire, a condition the Jewish state has opposed.
Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists during the Oct. 7 atrocities that started the ongoing war. The terrorist group, which has not yet commented on the US and Israeli decisions to pull out their negotiating teams, has repeatedly insisted that any ceasefire must lead to a permanent end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel has said all hostages must be freed and Hamas can’t retain control of neighboring Gaza when the fighting stops.
The post US, Israel Recall Negotiators From Gaza Ceasefire Talks, Witkoff Says ‘Selfish’ Hamas Not Showing Good Faith first appeared on Algemeiner.com.