Uvda Season Finale

Eighteen years after his death, the involvement of the late architect Eyal Ragonis in the assassination of senior Fatah leader Abu Jihad has been revealed, detailing his secret recruitment from civilian life into the Sayeret Matkal elite commando unit. Ragonis was responsible for planning the architectural model of the villa where Abu Jihad resided in Tunisia. Using aerial photographs and intelligence information, he constructed a precise replica of the structure, which served as the operational foundation for the Sayeret Matkal fighters during their training for the mission. The operation, which took place in April 1988, was one of the most daring and complex in the history of the Israeli intelligence community. For decades, Ragonis's critical role remained under a heavy veil of secrecy, known only to a few within the defense establishment. Now, the story of the architect who put aside his blueprints to serve his country in the shadows is finally coming to light.

Video transcript