When Sean Connery passed away last week, a number of his off-screen exploits and comments - both the flattering and not so flattering - were brought up. As a tour guide of Israel, I'd like to focus on one of them - a secret mission he undertook to Israel in 1967.
Connery, who was starring in his legendary role of British secret agent James Bond at the time, visited Israel and at one point actually was taken to an Israeli Air Force Base. There he met with IAF Commander Motta Hod. Upon hearing of Connery's passing, The IAF put out a photo of Connery and Hod in front of an Iraqi MIG-21 fighter jet which Israel had attained just a year earlier in a spy mission worthy of a James Bond movie - hence the 007 number on the plane itself.
For more on that incredible story click here (just keep in mind that Israel and Iraq have technically been in a state of war since Iraq invaded Israel in 1948): https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37405/how-israel-got-this-mig-21-that-sean-connery-posed-next-to-was-like-a-real-life-bond-movie
Not much is known about the visit, which took place in November 1967, just months after Israel's incredible victory in the Six-Day War, which was the Israeli Air Force's finest hour. My guess is that James Bond wanted to see a MIG-21 up close in person, like every other Western intelligence agency.
n 2005, Connery had another Israel experience, albeit in Spain. A former footballer (soccer player) himself, he literally kicked off a game with an joint Israeli-Palestinian team playing against FC Barcelona. The match was organized by the Peres Center for Peace following the end of the Second Intifada. At the time there was some hope that we could get back to having security and perhaps even peace and this match was meant to kickstart that. For more on the story click here: https://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=3070
Finally, you need to check out this crazy story on the Jewish origins of James Bond. Yes, you heard that right... https://forward.com/culture/457630/the-jewish-james-bond-stories-sean-connery-likely-never-knew/
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