Eli Cohen, 1924-1965

Israel’s most famous spy, Cohen infiltrated the Syrian government in the 1960s. Born in Egypt to Syrian Jewish parents, he applied his language skills to pretend to be businessman Kamel Amin Thaabet. He befriended top politicians and military leaders in Damascus. He was caught and hanged, but only after gaining intelligence on Golan Heights defenses that proved crucial in the June 1967 war.

Photo: Public domain