Israel says it recovered executed spy’s watch in ‘special operation’
‘Special research and intelligence operations were carried out which culminated in the unequivocal determination that this was indeed Eli Cohen’s watch,’ said Israeli spy agency Mossad
Israel’s Mossad spy agency said on Thursday that it had brought home the watch of an Israeli agent executed in 1965 while working deep undercover in Syria.
Eli Cohen was tried and hanged for espionage by the Syrians after he successfully infiltrated the top levels of the Syrian government.
“The Mossad returned to Israel the wristwatch of the late Mossad fighter Eli Cohen,” an Israeli government statement said.
“The wristwatch was returned in a special Mossad operation which took place recently,” it said.
“After Eli Cohen’s execution on 18 May 1965, the wristwatch was held by an enemy state. Upon the watch’s return to Israel, special research and intelligence operations were carried out which culminated in the unequivocal determination that this was indeed Eli Cohen’s watch.”
The statement did not provide any details.
“The moment that they informed me my mouth went dry and I got the chills,” Eli Cohen’s widow Nadia told Mako commercial Israeli television channel. “At that moment I felt that I could feel his hand, I felt that part of him was with us.”