Mordechai Maman, an Israeli in his early 70s known as Moti, was used to disappointment. His marriage had failed long ago, as had various business ventures, leaving him permanently strapped for cash. But at the start of 2024 he had reason to feel optimistic. His four grown-up children were doing well, he had acquired two new business partners, and he was in love.
Natalie was a glamorous Belarussian with glossy dark hair and bee-stung lips, several decades younger than him. The couple had been living together in Turkey, Maman’s adopted home, but had just moved to Ashkelon, a city in southern Israel near the border with Gaza. Natalie had started the long process of converting to Judaism and, in return, Maman promised her the world. “He was obsessed with her and was ready to fulfill every whim and financial request,” said a friend.
Being in love can make people do things that defy logic. In Maman’s case, his eagerness to please his girlfriend led him to betray his country. For years, he had been a proud Israeli patriot who adored Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister. He had expressed strong right-wing views and anti-Arab sentiments in Facebook posts. But to the disbelief of his family and friends, Maman became a spy for the Jewish state’s bitterest foe, Iran. | | |
