israeli Spy Eli Cohen captured in Syria, Facing Execution
Damascus, Syria – January 25, 1965 – Eli Cohen, an Israeli intelligence operative who had successfully infiltrated the Syrian government and was on the verge of being appointed Deputy Minister, was apprehended last night during a clandestine transmission of secret information. The Syrian military raided Cohen’s apartment, catching him red-handed with active transmission evidence, thus exposing his true identity as an Israeli spy.
The revelation has sent shockwaves through the Syrian leadership. President Amin El-Hafiz is reportedly enraged, feeling betrayed by the man he trusted most. The leak of military strategies and subsequent Syrian defeats are now attributed to Cohen, whose deep infiltration, nearly leading to a high-ranking defense position, has deeply embarrassed El-Hafiz and damaged Syria’s reputation among Arab nations.
In the wake of Cohen’s capture, President El-Hafiz has ordered a widespread sweep of individuals who interacted with the spy, resulting in the arrest of approximately 500 people.The President has also approved Cohen’s execution by hanging.Despite desperate lobbying efforts from Israel and several European countries to prevent the death sentence, syria views Cohen as a symbol of national humiliation.
Cohen has been subjected to daily torture while imprisoned. His ordeal is expected to conclude with a public hanging in Damascus on May 18,1965.His body is not expected to be returned to Israel. This incident is seen as a notable escalation in the long-standing animosity between Syria and Israel, with recent reports indicating Israeli attacks on the Syrian Ministry of Defense office, a location previously visited by Cohen.