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Azzam Azzam

Azzam Azzam is an Israeli Druze mechanic who was convicted in Egypt of spying for Israel and held in an Egyptian prison until 2004.

born 1962Conviction for spying in EgyptRelease from Egyptian prison in 2004Lighting an Independence Day torch

Born: 28 September 1962
Occupation: mechanic, maintenance
Party: Kadima

Azzam Azzam was born in 1962

Azzam Azzam was born on September 28, 1962. He is a Druze from Maghar, Israel, and a mechanic by training. He is married to Amal Azzam, and the couple has 4 children.

He worked for the Israeli textile company Tefron and traveled to Egypt to visit factories that served as its subcontractors. In November 1996 he was arrested in Cairo by Egyptian security services, and his arrest was kept secret for several days.

His trial opened in 1997. Prosecutors claimed he passed messages from the Mossad using underwear marked with invisible ink. In August 1997 he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor, while he and the Israeli government denied the charges.

He was released on December 5, 2004, after talks led by Shin Bet head Avi Dichter. In return, Israel freed 6 Egyptians held in Israel. He thanked Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after his release.

In 2005 he lit a torch at the main Independence Day ceremony. He later worked as a branch manager for Ace and as a maintenance worker at the Haifa oil refineries. In 2012 he took part in the reality show Survivor VIP.