Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday evening that searches for the remains of executed Israeli spy Eli Cohen are underway in Syria.
Netanyahu confirmed the report of the ongoing search in an interview with Tel Aviv-based news channel i24NEWS and it appears to be the first official admission of the hunt for Cohen's remains by the prime minister.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms search after executed spy Eli Cohen's remains in Syria
(Photo: Courtesy of i24NEWS)
Cohen was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy best known for his espionage work in the 1960s in Syria, where he became the chief adviser to the country's defense minister. He was eventually exposed and captured by Syrian Intelligence in 1965, sentenced to death and hung at Damascus' main square.
The i24NEWS report also stated that a source in the Syrian government has confirmed that an "item" thought to have belonged to the former spy was now in Israel's possession and was being examined for authenticity.
According to a source, the Syrians who had found the item, transferred it to Russia, which is currently searching for Cohen's remains in the region of the al-Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus. The Russians subsequently passed the item on to Israel.
The Syrian source also said the item could be a piece of Cohen's clothing or a document but did not offer further clarification. The source added that Damascus and Moscow, who have fought side-by-side in Syria's ongoing civil war for nearly a decade, are at odds over what concessions to demand from Jerusalem for further information regarding Cohen's body.
In addition, a source close to Russia's military intelligence for the General Staff of the Armed Forces (GRU) told i24NEWS that the Syrians gave Russian units detailed maps of the area around the al-Yarmouk refugee camp.
This is the first time a Russian source has confirmed that searches were underway and that the Syrian army and the Putin administration are cooperating in the effort.
However, the Prime Minister's Office denied finding any of Cohen's belongings and said the efforts to retrieve the late spy's remains had no connection to Netanyahu's ties with the Russian president.
"I can say that, regarding Eli Cohen, we have not stopped looking [for his remains]," Netanyahu said in an interview with Army Radio. "I did not say, and I am not saying that we are doing it through Russia, but are not giving up. The efforts are ongoing and I hope they will bear fruit."
Cohen's daughter, Sophie Ben-Dor, downplayed Netanyahu's confirmation of the hunt for her father’s remains. "Until there is confirmed news and findings, I feel I have nothing to say on the subject," she said.
"There is a sense that they are playing with us, my family, and our feelings. If the prime minister knows something, he should inform us privately and not through the media," she added.
Working under the alias Kamel Amin Thabet, Cohen provided Israel with valuable intelligence regarding the Syrian army's deployment in the Golan Heights and reported on military and political moves until his cover was blown by Syrian counterintelligence.
Cohen was described by the Syrians as "the greatest Israeli spy who has ever operated in an Arab country."
i24NEWS contributed to this story.