The Angel: Fact vs. Fiction

The Netflix film 'The Angel' delves into the shadowy world of espionage during a tumultuous period in Middle Eastern history, focusing on Ashraf Marwan, an Egyptian national who allegedly spied for Israel. The year 1973 marked a significant flashpoint with the Yom Kippur War, an offensive launched by Egyptian and Syrian forces against Israel. While many of Israel's populace were taken by surprise, its intelligence agency, Mossad, had received a crucial tip-off. This vital intelligence is said to have originated from Ashraf Marwan, a man deeply entrenched in the Egyptian political elite. His father-in-law was none other than Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and following Nasser's death in 1970, Marwan served as an aide to President Anwar Sadat. This privileged position granted him access to highly sensitive information, which he purportedly supplied to Israel for several years, earning him the code name 'Angel'.

Based on Uri Bar-Joseph's book, 'The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel', the film, released on Netflix, probes the motivations behind Marwan's actions. It questions what could drive a man to betray his own country. The film suggests that Marwan, who died mysteriously after a fall from a London balcony in 2007, was driven by a desire for peace. However, alternative accounts propose he was a double agent, motivated by a quest for power and financial gain. This article aims to dissect the film's narrative, separating verifiable facts from fictional embellishments and exploring the ambiguities surrounding Marwan's life and alleged espionage.

The Genesis of an Agent: A London Phone Booth

The film depicts Marwan initiating his espionage by making a clandestine call from a London telephone booth to the Israeli embassy. This act is portrayed as a response to his failure to dissuade President Nasser from engaging in conflict with Israel. His resolve is further solidified when he learns that Nasser had instructed his wife, Mona, to divorce him, a decision stemming from Nasser's disapproval of Marwan's gambling habits. The film's portrayal of this pivotal moment closely mirrors the account in Bar-Joseph's book. According to the book, Marwan's path to Mossad began in an iconic red telephone booth on a London street. Finding the embassy's contact details was straightforward, as they were listed in the phone book. Upon reaching the switchboard, Marwan requested to speak with someone from the Mukhabarat, Egypt's intelligence agency. The operator, perhaps unfamiliar with Marwan's world, followed protocol and transferred the call to the Israeli Defence Forces' military attaché's office, a routine for calls from individuals with Arab accents seeking to speak with intelligence or defence officials.

Early Warnings and Lingering Doubts

As depicted in 'The Angel', Marwan's initial intelligence shared with Mossad proved to be inaccurate on two occasions. He twice informed Israeli intelligence of planned Egyptian military action, but these plans did not materialise. These unfulfilled warnings sowed seeds of doubt among Mossad agents, leading to increased suspicion surrounding Marwan. Even when Marwan eventually delivered the crucial intelligence about the impending Yom Kippur attack, Mossad's initial reaction was disbelief. This scepticism aligns with historical accounts, as detailed by Bar-Joseph. Despite Marwan's warning, Israel was caught largely unprepared for the surprise attack on Yom Kippur. As reported at the time, the details of the invasion were a closely guarded Arab military secret, with combat commanders only being informed on a need-to-know basis. Both Israeli and U.S. intelligence had detected signs of troop build-up, but the possibility of an actual Arab attack seemed improbable. It was only ten hours before the assault that Israel finally accepted the seriousness of the situation. By the time the attack commenced on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, Israel was mobilising, but it was too late to prevent initial Arab advances.

The Double Agent Dilemma: A Question of Allegiance

'The Angel' suggests that Marwan's skilled espionage for Israel played a role in paving the way for the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, signed in 1979 by Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. The film posits that Marwan's deep commitment to peace between the two nations led him to take extreme measures, even raising suspicions among both Egyptians and Israelis that he might be a double agent feeding misinformation to Mossad. Bar-Joseph, in his book, attempts to refute the double agent theory, framing Mossad's doubts as a matter of Marwan's credibility and the accuracy of his intelligence. In this interpretation, Israeli officials would have benefited from placing greater trust in Marwan. However, other sources lend credence to the theory that Marwan was, in fact, working for Egypt all along. Ahron Bregman, a UK-based political scientist who first revealed Marwan's Mossad connections in 2002, stated that Marwan intentionally misled Israel. Bregman, who knew Marwan personally, described him as an "Egyptian hero and an Egyptian spy who misled the Mossad by feeding them, for years, with wrong information." He further elaborated that Marwan was "the jewel in the crown of the Egyptian deception plan in 1973, which led to Israel being caught up unprepared to the Egyptian invasion in Yom Kippur 1973. Marwan ridiculed the Mossad for years." The very entities Marwan allegedly served remain divided on his status. Israeli intelligence officers who collaborated with him have lauded him as one of their "best" spies. Simultaneously, Egypt also claims Marwan as a national hero. Following his death, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hailed him as a "true patriot of his country" and accorded him a hero's funeral, despite the public knowledge of his dealings with Mossad.

Fictionalised Heroism: Thwarting a Terror Plot

The film opens with Marwan supplying weapons to the Palestinian Black September group, a terrorist organisation responsible for a plot to shoot down a plane en route to Tel Aviv from Rome. While the film credits Marwan with single-handedly stopping this plot and preventing numerous casualties, the narrative deviates from reality in its depiction of how this was achieved. In 'The Angel', Marwan sends his family to Geneva for safety before transporting the weapons. He then removes a crucial component from a missile, rendering it inoperable, thereby thwarting the attack. In reality, members of the Black September group were arrested in 1973 for a similar terrorist plot, intended as retaliation for an earlier Israeli air strike on a Libyan commercial airliner. However, Marwan was not the sole architect of its prevention. The film shows him travelling internationally with the weapons in his luggage, whereas in truth, it was his wife, Mona, who unknowingly transported them. The weapons were concealed within diplomatic baggage, a fact unknown to Mona, according to Bar-Joseph's book. She had planned a trip to London for unrelated reasons but agreed to meet her husband in Rome at his request. Mona was entirely unaware of the plot and the contents of the bags. As anticipated, Italian authorities did not inspect the bags. Due to their association with Nasser's daughter and bearing her name, the bags were expedited directly from the aircraft to a waiting truck, which then transported them to the Egyptian Art Academy in Rome. Once in Rome, Marwan collaborated with Mossad and local authorities to ensure the terrorists were apprehended before the attack could be executed. The five Black September operatives were arrested, and their missiles confiscated, preventing any harm.

Deception and Diversion: The Case of Diana

In 'The Angel', Marwan cultivates a friendship with a woman named Diana, who aids him in some of his missions for Israel. Later, as Egyptian officials grow suspicious of his activities, Marwan feigns an extramarital affair with Diana to divert their attention. However, there is no concrete evidence to support Marwan's collaboration with or an affair with a woman named Diana. Bar-Joseph's book and other historical accounts of Marwan's work for Israel make no mention of such extramarital entanglements. Ahron Bregman commented that while it's difficult to ascertain if Marwan had any affairs, "it had nothing whatsoever to do with Ashraf's espionage activities."

Marital Strife: A Fictional Separation

The film concludes with Mona Nasser leaving Marwan, disillusioned by his erratic behaviour and suspecting infidelity. Unable to disclose the truth about his clandestine activities, Marwan accepts their separation while remaining legally married. In reality, the couple did not separate and remained married until Marwan's death in 2007.

Key Takeaways: Marwan's Legacy

The story of Ashraf Marwan, as depicted in 'The Angel', highlights the complex realities of intelligence work and the blurred lines between patriotism, personal ambition, and betrayal. Whether Marwan was a genuine hero who sought peace or a cunning double agent remains a subject of historical debate. The film, while offering a compelling narrative, necessarily takes creative liberties to enhance its dramatic impact. Understanding the historical context and the differing accounts surrounding Marwan's life is crucial for a comprehensive appreciation of this captivating true story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Ashraf Marwan a real person?

Yes, Ashraf Marwan was a real person. He was an Egyptian national who served as an aide to President Anwar Sadat and was code-named 'Angel' by Israeli intelligence.

Did Ashraf Marwan spy for Israel?

Historical accounts and intelligence sources suggest that Ashraf Marwan did indeed spy for Israel, providing them with intelligence for several years.

Did Ashraf Marwan warn Israel about the Yom Kippur War?

Yes, Ashraf Marwan is believed to have warned Israeli intelligence about the impending Yom Kippur War, though the effectiveness and timing of this warning are debated.

Was 'The Angel' based on a true story?

'The Angel' is based on the true story of Ashraf Marwan and is inspired by the book 'The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel' by Uri Bar-Joseph.

How did Ashraf Marwan die?

Ashraf Marwan died in 2007 from injuries sustained after falling from the balcony of his apartment in London. The circumstances surrounding his death remain mysterious, with theories ranging from suicide to murder.