eli cohen children

"The Spy" depicts Egyptian-born Cohen - played by Sacha Baron Cohen - as an ambitious, Arabic-speaking immigrant to Israel who is recruited by Mossad and, overcoming his fears and the strains on his family, infiltrates the Damascus high command by posing as a rich scion of the Syrian diaspora. (Haim Zach/GPO). In 1960, he was recruited to join the Mossad for a special mission in which he was to pretend to be a Syrian businessman returning to the country after having lived in Argentina. Despite this, however, Israeli intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. But Sophie was born without seeing his father. For four years, Cohen posed as a Syrian textile businessman named Kamal Amin Thabet, first in Argentina and later in Damascus. [13][14] In Buenos Aires he moved among the Arab community, letting it be known he had large amounts of money to put at the disposal of the Syrian Ba'ath Party. "My darling Nadia, and my dear family,I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever.I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. The six-part drama about Israeli spy Eli Cohen has gripped viewers and critics alike with its pulse-racing tale of espionage and a deceptively good dramatic performance by Sacha Baron Cohen, better known for his comedy work, as the Mossad agent. I had gotten under his cover," said Maurice Cohen. "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Eli's handlers were continually persuading him to return. After weeks of surveillance, he was finalized and was put to training. they let him see fortification and the bunkers, weapon concentrated in the area, and their offensive plans.l lieutenant. But the series did not give al-Gamal enough credit, she said, and this led her to reveal his memoirs, which he wrote in secret and deposited with a lawyer for safekeeping. "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. I don't want to go to my death longing for my Eli to rest in the soil of the land that he loved and for which he gave his life. While there are reports that Cohen hosted parties that would devolve into orgies at his apartment, in order to gain the trust of high-level people in power, there's no concrete evidence that he played a role in the March 1963 coup. But an interview published in the Cairo Times yesterday with the German-born Weltrude Scheffeldt-Biton suggests that Egyptian intelligence played the most important role in unmasking Cohen. According to the report, Mossad agents were on their way to Auckland, with one text saying: "Wait for our partners to arrive before making a decision.". Since 1992, the Golan has been up for discussion in the peace talks, but it strikes a very emotional chord among Israelis due to its historic and strategic significance, in addition to its natural beauty. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. If you've already watched all of The Spy and are curious to know more about Cohen, then these accounts of the real-life Cohen might make for curious reading. [29] Mossad director Yossi Cohen presented it to Cohen's family in a ceremony, and it is currently on display at Mossad headquarters. when you were three, your family left Lebanon and moved to Egypt Alexandria. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: , Arabic: ; 6 December 1924 18 May 1965), commonly known as Eli Cohen, was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. Their youngest child, Shai, was only 21 days old then. Unfortunately, Nadia and her family are still waiting to get Elis body and have not made peace with it. Instead, he joined the Egyptian merchant marine and was involved in a number of scams, which resulted in his arrest by the Egyptian secret service in 1952. The condom was used as a timing tool for mixed chemicals and produce a minor burst of fire. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nadia-cohen-46980.php. [30], Cohen has become a national hero in Israel, and many streets and neighborhoods have been named for him. Speaking to Cohen's brother, and to Israeli and Syrian intelligence experts, Sputnik has pieced together a new look at the superspy's incredible life story. Some attributed this to a sense of cockiness (despite the fears he had expressed in November 1964), due to the ability and ease he had moved about in the highest echelons of Syrian power. Eli Cohen was born in Egypt in 1924 to Jewish parents, who had migrated to Alexandria from Syria. There is always the risk that the agent remains loyal to his original handlers and has managed to fool his new bosses. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Antoni Porowski Talks New Cookbook, Recipes and Tradition in Cooking, Netflix's 'The Spy': Eli Cohen's Remains Still a Mystery, How to Watch True Crime Series 'Unbelievable' on Netflix. The 2019 'Netflix' miniseries 'The Spy' had actor Sacha Baron Cohen portraying Eli. But his knowledge of. She had no idea about Elis secret mission and thus did not see the threats and risks involved. [9], Syria refused to return Cohen's body to his family in Israel, and his wife Nadia sent a letter to Amin al-Hafiz in November 1965 asking his forgiveness for Cohen's actions and requesting his remains. Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, Defense Minister Ezer Weizmann, and many Mossad officials attended Eli's son's bar mitzvah in 1977. His captors later remarked on his noble bearing and his courage despite the horrific Syrian interrogation methods. Eli Cohen was sent to Syria as an undercover agent, and he turned out to be the greatest spy to date. [27] Syrian authorities have repeatedly denied family requests for the remains. The crime of obtaining secret information is kept hidden to ensure the safety of the country to benefit the enemy. But he refused). Sacha Baron Cohen, the Mossad and Netflix. His last wish was to see a rabbi. Hence, Nissim Andabo, the elderly chief rabbi of Syria accompanied him to Marjeh Square.. He worked as an accountant and translator. On August 31, 1959, he married a beautiful Iraqi-born Jew, Nadia Majald. He has reached the apex of success, and it seems that there is no door he can't open. The daughter of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen said Sunday it hurt to watch the new Netflix series about her fathers life and execution in Syria, lamenting some historical inaccuracies in the adaptation but praising Sacha Baron Cohens performance. In January 1947, he was enlisted in the Egyptian army as an alternative to paying the mandatory sum that all young Jews had to pay. Eli's second instructor Yehuda taught him how to use a small, sophisticated radio transmitter. "He began writing the number but stopped abruptly and, looking flushed and flustered, mumbled under his breath about needing to run out to the supermarket before it closed. Before he was executed, Cohen met with a rabbi, as per his request, and sent his wife a letter. they suspect on a tablet but they verify the Tibet's transmission two times at 8 am precisely they broke into the tablet home, Eli was caught red-handed in the transmission. [9], Cohen continued his social life as he had in Argentina, spending time in cafes listening to political gossip. Incorrect password. Another tutor trained him to speak Arabic. A year later, in 1965, Cohen was caught transmitting over the radio back to Tel Aviv. For his loyalties, Hafiz grooms Thaabet to be deputy defense minister in his government. He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. Elis connections enabled him to be taken to the Golan Heights a major strategic asset for Syria from 1948-67. He wrote a last letter to his wife before he mounted the scaffold to a seething crowd. Over the years, Nadia has made several efforts to seek a bit of mercy from Syrian officials. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. This material may not be republished without the permission of the copyright owner. Ahead of the mission, Cohen had to learn to speak Arabic in a Syrian accent rather than his native Egyptian. In order to capture the Golan Heights during the 1967 Six-Day War, Israeli soldiers had to knock out a number of well-fortified Syrian outposts. On January 25, 2000, Nadia presented a picture of a new postage stamp with Elis face, to Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, honoring her husband. His training was extensive and exhaustive. At Kfar Habad, on July 29, 1977, at the joint Bar Mitzvah for 100 fatherless boys, in the presence of Prime Minister. Nadia Majald, and together they had three children. Before leaving, Cohen assured his wife it would be his last trip before he returned home permanently. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. [2], A 2018 article published in Newsweek by Ronen Bergman excerpted from Bergman's book Rise and Kill First, says that Eli Cohen located Alois Brunner, a Nazi scientist suspected of living in Syria, and relayed the information to an Israel intelligence unit that later sent letter bombs to Brunner. He worked as an accountant. In the fifties, Israel had launched a project of huge pipeline and canals that would carry a part of the jorden river water to the arid Negev region. It says this "does not imply any special relationship or endorsement". Cohens contacts, nurtured through a string of lavish dinner parties, social occasions, and friendships with those in high places, led to invitations to visit Damascus and to set up a business venture there. He then moved to Damascus in February 1962, under his new identity, Kamel Amin Thaabet, to extract classified information from Syrian military officers. Eli was born Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, on December 26, 1924, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt, into a staunch Jewish and Zionist family. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. He reminded me of my father sometimes, she added. Nadia, widow of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Herzliya, Israel October 6, 2019. . In 1954, the British pull out of Egypt completely. Al-Hafidh then sent his bank details, but the deal went cold. Cohen's astonishing undercover career lasted for four years. [7][9] The Israel Defense Forces recruited him in 1957 and placed him in military intelligence, where he became a counter-intelligence analyst. They had three children, Sophie, Irit, and Shai. With senior staff officers acting as guides, Eli Cohen was provided an in-depth intelligence briefing of monumental proportions. They even photographed Eli on the Golan Heights, looking over into Israel, alongside the most high-ranking Syrian officers. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. The Syrian officer readily agreed and Eli immediately passed the information onto Israel. Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. It could not let Syria succeed and planning a response. If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. Intelligence officers who investigated the issue offered two possibilities: The first is that it was Egyptian intelligence that identified Cohen and gave him up to the Syrians; the second, which is considered more probable, is that the demand for information was so great that frequent communications via radio to Mossad headquarters exposed Cohen to Syrian counterintelligence. Download our mobile app for on-the-go access to the Jewish Virtual Library, Cohen publicly hanged in the Marjeh Square, The Pedagogic Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for Israel, 1998 - 2023 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. . Haaretz.com, the online English edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, gives you breaking news, analyses and opinions about Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. Eli's wife Nadia, played by Hadar Ratzon Rotem, has to deal with raising two children without her husband, who disappears for up to a year at a time without being allowed to tell her what he's actually doing or even where he is. According to al-Gamal's version, he saw a photograph in an Arab newspaper at a newspaper stand in Frankfurt's train station that showed Amin Kamel Thabet touring fortifications on the Golan Heights with Syrian officers. One day they took Eli to visit the Syrian positions along Israel's border. Returning to Nadia is Cohens ultimate goal. While there, he gained the trust of Amin al-Hafez, who would later become Syrias president. "The moment that they informed me [of the watch's recovery] my mouth went dry and I got the chills," Nadia told Israeli TV. Employment was not always steady, and he soon had to rely more on Nadia to help support their marriage, which would quickly lead to children. His successes couldn't be vocally shared with his family, however. he transfers all operations to Mossad, Eli was now Mossad agent. I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. After Hafez became Prime Minister, Eli was even considered to be named the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense. They were caught spying for Israel in 1953 and some of them were hanged. But what happened next apparently deviates from the way it appears in the show. The drunk guests would often end up blabbing about their work to Cohen, who was sober but would pretend to be intoxicated. Reports earlier this year said a Russian delegation had removed his remains from Syria in an attempt to bring them to Israel. try to make as many friends as possible, and establish contact with Arab leaders. It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. Because of that, perhaps he just tired of the whole charade. Cohen went undercover in Syria as Kamel Amin Thaabet in the early 1960s, aligned himself with key military and government personnel and fed intel back to Israel. The new Ba'ath government initially installed Lu'ay al-Atassi as president in March 1963. [7] He took part in various Israeli covert operations in the country during the 1950s, although the Egyptian government could never prove his involvement in Operation Goshen, an Israeli operation to smuggle Egyptian Jews out of the country and resettle them in Israel due to increasing hostility in Egypt. The daughter of legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen said Sunday "it hurt" to watch the new Netflix series about her father's life and execution in Syria, lamenting some historical inaccuracies in. Eli had lost his friends, in 1957 he immigrates to Israel. The complete trust Cohen enjoyed among his unwitting informants is illustrated by the following incident, which might have serious consequences for the Israeli agents. One of the more famous aspects of his spying regarded a trip he took to the Golan Heights. Eli Cohen's daughter Sofia Ben-Dor was excited about it because that is all they have. Al-Hafidh claims he was in negotiations with the Mossad to reveal the information, but wanted $1million for his services which the intelligence agency refused to pay. By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. Eli married Iraqi Jewish Nadia Majald, sister of Hebrew author Sami Michael, in 1959. I was more worried, Ben-Dor said of hearing that Cohen, who is known for playing comedic figures such as Borat, would star in the series. By Lianne Back. In the name of the Syrian Arab people, The Military court has decided in its meeting which was held on Muharram 7th, 1385 - May 8th, 1965 to sentence Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, a resident of Tel Aviv in Occupied Palestine, to death for committing the following crimes: The crime of disguised entry into a military location. He became far less careful in his transmissions to Israel, sometimes calling once or even twice a day and almost always at the same time, at 8:30 in the morning. His parents, Syrian Jews from the thriving town of Aleppo, had always instilled in their educationally minded son the traditions of the Jewish people, of Zionism, and of the culture of Syrias Jewish community, in particular.. He would entertain high-ranking politicians and military officials at extravagant parties where there would be many women and lots of booze. The transmissions became longer as well. A devout Jew, Cohen wore tefillin during prayer, in his youth he planned of becoming a Rabbi with the backup of Moise Ventura (1893-1978), Chief Rabbi of Alexandria but the Rabbinical School closed down. On January 24, 1965, Syrian intelligence broke into his home in the middle of a transmission. After several days, Eli got a new identity as Kamal Amin Tablet, son of Syrian parents, born in Beirut. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A memorial stone has been erected in the 'Garden of the Missing Soldiers' in Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, to commemorate him. This is adefinitive andfinal verdict. Still, Israeli Intelligence asked him to return to Syria one more time. As depicted in Episodes 4 and 5 of The Spy, Cohen aligns with Hafiz and the Ba'ath political party to overthrow the reigning government of Syria in March 1963. Asked to pinpoint what she found not to be reflective of her familys experience, Ben-Dor cited the ethnic gap, noting her mother was never a maid as was portrayed in the series. Military Stories site will provide you the latest News related to military. If I wanted something, I called, they put me through to him immediately. Eli was, however, persuaded continuously by Israeli intelligence agencies to return to Syria. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. They observed a period of radio silence, in the hope that any illegal transmissions could be identified. So now we have a request. Kamal Amin Tabet hosted a glamorous party in Damascus, several ministers, a large number of general and colonel, top leaders of the Baath party, businessmen. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. Thats why we started the Times of Israel ten years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. Eli was brutally tortured and interrogated before he was publicly hanged on May 18, 1965, at the Marjeh Square in Damascus. Sacha Baron Cohen in 'The Spy' as Eli Cohen. Cohen expressed fear of discovery to the Mossad on his last secret visit to Israel in November 1964, and he stated that he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. [8] His most famous achievement was the tour of the Golan Heights in which he collected intelligence on the Syrian fortifications there. Qudsi was ousted from power as a result of the March 8 coup, but Hafiz did not take power until months later. It was hard to see the distance from the truth in some parts of the series, Sophie Ben-Dor said in an interview with Channel 12 news. In exchange for his freedom, he agreed to work for Egypt's intelligence service. He died in 2009. His fathers name was Amin Taabet, and his mothers Saadia Ibrahim. Al-Gamal rushed to inform his superiors that Thabet was none other than Eli Cohen, the Alexandrian Jew. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. And much of the credit for Israels ability to capture the Golan was due to Eli Cohen, Israels greatest spy. [7][9], Israel staged an international campaign for clemency, hoping to persuade the Syrians not to execute him. Cohen was released because he was not linked with the underground. The husband hunters among the Damascus rich and influential flocked to the handsome Taabet, hoping that their almond eyes, Byzantine beauty, and olive skin would secure a future of wealth and power: He became the most sought-after bachelor in the Syrian capital. In December 1956, the Jewish Agency assisted Eli to deport to Israel in a vessel. The message was passed on to the Syrians, who arrested Cohen. He was quickly able to infiltrate the highest levels of Syrian society. Even today Syria refuses to return his body for burial in Israel. Elis larger-than-life persona has attracted many filmmakers, who have then used his story for their projects. Using Biton, Israel "fed" Egypt with false intelligence that reportedly contributed to the Six Day War victory. The Israel Defense Forces were alleged to have used the trees as targeting markers during the Six-Day War, which enabled Israel to capture the Golan Heights in two days. It was approved by, The head of the presidency council on 17/5/1965, Top 10 Weakest Militaries in the World | The Bahamas, Central African Republic, The Gambia,Barbados, Somalia, Luxembourg military power, MiG-29 vs. Su-27: The Soviet Union's Two Top Fighters Went Head to Head in an East African Air War, Ravindra Kaushik RAW Agent ( Black Tiger) Wife, son, Death reason, | Facts about Ravindra Kaushik | Ravindra Kaushik Movie, Israel's Iron Dome Vs S-400 Russian Comparison, Price, Success Rate | Iron Dome vs S400 which is better, Top amazing facts about RAW and Agent : History, Foundation, Joining , Department of RAW, Eli Cohen Wife, Children | Israeli Spy biography | Last Letter to his wife and Children | Eli Cohen death writing translation | george seif syria. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . In February 1962, Cohen moved to Damascus. [12][20][21] Cohen was able to find out that the Syrians planned to divert the Jordan River headwaters in an attempt to deprive Israel of water resources, providing information to Israeli forces that enabled them to destroy the equipment prepared for the task. Eli Cohenhad succeeded in friending a Saudi entrepreneur who had been contracted to plan and dig canals, the name was his friend was bin Laden, little Osama's father. In 1961, Eli was sent to Buenos Aires in the guise of a Syrian textile businessman. In the fifties, Israel had launched a project of huge pipeline and canals that would carry a part of the jorden river water to the arid Negev region. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!I send you my last kisses to you and to the children: Sophie, Irit, and Shaoul, and to the rest of my family, especially my motherPlease pray for my soul. Israel attacked the project serval time later they abandon the project in 1965. In the show, Cohenas Thaabetbefriends Hafiz in Buenos Aires and later in Damascus helps Hafiz's Ba'ath party seize power. Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. I want him (Yossi Cohen) to clarify what hapepned," said the 84-year-old. In 1963, new Ramdas replaced Meir Amit for a few months in charge of both a man and Mossad. The border with Syria was heating up as well. Sign in to stop seeing this, Sara Netanyahu accosted by protesters at Tel Aviv hair salon, extricated by police, Brides joy turns to sorrow after Elan Ganeles killed driving to her wedding, Hiker discovers 2,500-year-old ancient receipt from reign of Purim kings father, Netanyahu compares Tel Aviv protesters to settlers who set fire to Huwara. [6] Cohen spoke five languages fluently. The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. Eli told Nadia that he got a job with a company that works with defense and foreign ministries, he needs to travel to Europe to buy tools and equipment, and materials for Israel's military. But he spent most of his time in Tel Aviv perfecting his cover and being briefed on Amans requirements of him in Syria, as well as last-minute intelligence data needed for his mission. His success in effectively penetrating the Syrian social and political/diplomatic/military strata already wildly exceeded Amans expectations of him, Cohen arrived in Damascus in February 1962, posing as a businessman from Argentina who had returned to his native land. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. It went wrong, really wrong," he said. Get email notification for articles from Yossi Melman, Reproduction of an Israeli stamp being issued to honour the Mossad intelligence agency spy Eli Cohen who was hanged in Damascus. The leading figure in the break-in was the head of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani Elis nemesis. In the interview, she said that her husband left behind memoirs, notes and other evidence. "Their ages range from four and a half to 32." "You must be very proud," I offer. Earlier communication between the alleged son and the intelligence agency reveals Al-Hafidh was adamant on receiving the money. Text messages sent from an NZSIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. This week, KAN 11 began broadcasting a documentary series "Lochem 566," (Fighter 566, Cohen's Mossad codename). To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. By 1960, however, Israeli Intelligence was ready to take another look at Eli Cohen. Eli was caught in the act and there was nothing he could do. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. Cohen established his contact quickly, his letter of recommendation opened the gates to high society. He is best known for his espionage work in 196165 in Syria, where he developed close relationships with the Syrian political and military hierarchy.[1][2][3]. [24], Following the 1963 Syrian coup d'tat, newly appointed Syrian Intelligence Colonel Ahmed Suidani disliked Cohen and did not trust figures close to the Second Syrian Republic. Recruitment into the Mossad. Cohen was caught and eventually executed by Syrian authorities in 1965. He remembered and passed on to Israeli Intelligence the positioning of every Syrian gun, trench, and machine-gun nest in each Golan Heights fortification; tank traps, designed to impede any Israeli attack, were also identified and memorized for future targeting.. Eli did go back to Syria, but his behavior changed. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. She once called her children and four grandchildren to her home in Herzliya, clicked a photo of them together, and sent it to Assad, congratulating him on the birth of his son, Bashar. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. In the short periods he came home he wanted to absorb all the love from his children, he even smelt their scent to stay with him, and he wanted to give all the love possible, like a father to his children. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. Eli Cohen, Israels most famous spy, also happened to be a hopeless romantic. The melting winter snows produce a huge run-off of water which makes the Golan a beautifully verdant area in the late winter and spring and irrigates the Hula and Jordan Valleys below. During their exchange, Cohen signs off by asking, "Did N get the Singer?" That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. Eli, who would feign intoxication, remained sober and listened carefully., In addition to providing loans to government officials and acting as an avid host, he was asked for advice by government officials, who were often intoxicated by the alcohol he freely provided. Eli, after all, was born in an Arab country, had oriental features, was known to be selfless and fearless in pursuit of a cause, and had knowledge of Arabic, English, and French. It was after Atassi resigned on July 27 that Hafiz was named president. Given their history of a paper trail, its fitting but heartbreaking to learn that their final exchange also took place over written correspondence. What is perhaps most amazing about Eli Cohen is that he was genuinely liked even loved by so many of the top Syrian leaders. their chief noticed that their decision taken by the government was broadcast to Israel. The information he had been providing them for years was too good to forego. They had a son, Daniel, and after the Six Day War they celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. In March 1963, General Hafez, Eli's friend was appointed minister of defense in salah Al-Birat's cabinet. Nadia still holds a grudge against the 'Mossad' handlers who had sent Eli to Syria, an action that had taken him away from her, forever. He was taught high-speed evasive driving techniques, Weapons proficiency (especially with a wide variety of small arms), topography, map reading, sabotage, and, most importantly, radio transmissions and cryptography. Saif calmly replied, Theres nothing to worry about. He was promised support in any venture he might wish to undertake, and the generous sums of cash which he appeared to possess appealed to the unscrupulous who thought he could provide grease to their financial ambitions, as well as patriotic Syrians who hoped for an infusion of foreign capital into the Syrian state.

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