ABSTRACT
Undercover Soviet activity in Israel had always been fairly extensive, and spying was not unknown. There were several abortive attempts to recruit the Moscow diplomats. The late Yosef Tekoa, one of the last ambassadors to the USSR before the rupture of relations in 1967, related to the author on a visit to Moscow how the KGB had planted an attractive maid in his household. Kalmanovich's handlers maintained their pressure on the Israeli government in Jerusalem. Yosif Kobzon's great loyalty to his friend was as remarkable as his unflagging persistence. Kobzon was elected a member of Parliament in 1989 and used his position to arrange meetings with top Israeli politicians, to plead for the release of his friend Shabtai Kalmanovich. Kobzon met several ministers, including Roni Milo, the then minister of police, and Dan Meridor, the minister of justice. Even Yitzhak Shamir was approached to free the Soviet spy, for purely humanitarian reasons.
