Helicopter Mission: How Eli Cohen’s archives reached Israel

Baruch Yedid, an Arab affairs analyst for the Israeli channel i24NEWS, explained that the return of these archives represents the closure of an important chapter for the family of Eli Cohen, the Israeli spy. A Syrian source provided exclusive information about the transfer to the channel.

According to the source, a helicopter landed in the city of As-Suwayda in southern Syria on May 2, transporting Cohen’s archives to an undisclosed location. The source described the event as “a generous gesture by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, Syria’s interim leader, toward Israel and the United States,” emphasizing that the landing occurred without needing to cross Jordanian or Lebanese airspace.

The channel reported that the helicopter’s landing in As-Suwayda at the time sparked controversy and questions in Syria and the occupied territories about the operation’s purpose.

Media reports at the time claimed the aircraft was delivering food aid and weapons to the Druze community, while others suggested it was evacuating a prominent Druze religious figure from the province.

However, the Syrian source later clarified that “the primary purpose of the trip was to deliver Eli Cohen’s archives, which were under the custody of one of the commanders of armed forces affiliated with al-Julani.”

According to the channel, this information aligns with earlier reports of “unpublicized, positive negotiations between Syria and the Israeli regime, recently held in Azerbaijan under Turkey’s supervision.” Direct meetings between former Tel Aviv security officials and Abu Mohammad al-Julani had previously taken place.

In this context, Reuters reported that the delivery of Cohen’s archives was indeed orchestrated by al-Julani as a goodwill gesture toward Washington and U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at de-escalating tensions.