Operation Entebbe 1

Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe was a hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at Entebbe Airport
in Uganda on July 4, 1976.[1] A week earlier, on June 27, an Air France plane with 248 passengers was hijacked by
Palestinian terrorists and supporters and flown to Entebbe, near Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Shortly after
landing, all non-Jewish passengers were released.
The IDF acted on intelligence provided by Israeli secret agency Mossad. In the wake of the hijacking by members of
the militant organizations Revolutionary Cells and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, along with the
hijackers' threats to kill the hostages if their prisoner release demands were not met, the rescue operation was
planned.[2] These plans included preparation for armed resistance from Ugandan military troops.[3]
The operation took place at night, as Israeli transport planes carried 100 elite commandos over 2500 miles (4000 km)
to Uganda for the rescue operation. The operation, which took a week of planning, lasted 90 minutes and 103
hostages were rescued. Five Israeli commandos were wounded and one, the commander, Lt Col Yonatan Netanyahu,
was killed. All the hijackers, three hostages and 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed, and 11 Soviet-built MiG-17's of
Uganda's air force were destroyed.[4] A fourth hostage was murdered [5] by Ugandan army officers at a nearby
hospital.[6]
The successful rescue, named Operation Thunderbolt, is sometimes referred to as Operation Jonathan in memory of
the unit's leader, Jonathan Netanyahu. He was the older brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, currently the Prime Minister
of Israel.[7] As a direct result of the successful operation, the United States military developed highly trained rescue
teams modeled on the Entebbe rescue. The most visible, though unsuccessful attempt to imitate it was Operation
Eagle Claw, a failed attempt to rescue 53 American embassy personnel held hostage in Tehran, during the Iran
hostage crisis.[8] [9]

Hijack
Hijacking summary

Date 27 June 1976

Type Hijacking

Site Greek Airspace

Passengers 248

Crew 12

Injuries 10

Fatalities 4

Survivors 256

Aircraft type Airbus A300

Operator Air France

Tail number F-BVGG [10]

Flight origin Ben Gurion International Airport

Stopover Athens (Ellinikon) International Airport

Destination Charles De Gaulle International Airport

On 27 June 1976, Air France Flight 139, an Airbus A300 (Airbus A300B4-203), registration F-BVGG (cn 019),
originating from Tel Aviv, Israel, carrying 248 passengers and a crew of 12, took off from Athens, heading for
Operation Entebbe 2

Paris.[11] [12] Soon after the 12:30 p.m. takeoff, the flight was hijacked by two Palestinians from the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations (PFLP-EO) and two Germans from the German Revolutionary
Cells—Wilfried Böse and Brigitte Kuhlmann. The hijackers diverted the flight to Benghazi, Libya.[13] There it was
held on the ground for seven hours for refuelling, during which time a female hostage was released—who pretended
to be having a miscarriage.[2] The plane left Banghazi, and at 3:15 p.m. on the 28th, more than 24 hours after
departure, it arrived at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.[13]
At Entebbe, the four hijackers were joined by at least four others, supported by the pro-Palestinian forces of
Uganda's President, Idi Amin. They demanded the release of 40 Palestinians held in Israel and 13 other detainees
imprisoned in Kenya, France, Switzerland, and West Germany. They threatened that if these demands were not met,
they would begin to kill hostages on 1 July 1976.[14] The hijackers deliberately sorted the hostages into two
groups—Israeli nationals and others, or Jews and Gentiles.[15] As they did so a Holocaust survivor showed Böse a
camp registration number tattooed on his arm, Böse protested "I'm no Nazi! ... I am an idealist".[15] The hijackers
held the passengers hostage for a week in the transit hall of Entebbe Airport—now the old terminal. Some hostages
were released, but 105 remained captive.[13] The hijackers threatened to kill them if Israel did not comply with their
demands.[14]
Upon the announcement by the hijackers that the airline crew and non-Jewish passengers would be released and put
on another Air France plane that had been brought to Entebbe for that purpose, the flight captain Michel Bacos told
the hijackers that all passengers, including those remaining, were his responsibility and that he would not leave them
behind. Bacos' entire crew followed suit. A French nun also refused to leave, insisting that one of the remaining
hostages take her place, but she was forced into the waiting Air France plane by Ugandan soldiers.[3] A total of 85
Israeli and non-Israeli Jewish hostages remained, as well as 20 others, most of whom were the crew of the Air
France plane.[1] [16]

Operational planning
In the week prior to the raid, Israel tried a number of political avenues to obtain the release of the hostages. Many
sources indicate that the Israeli cabinet was prepared to release Palestinian prisoners if a military solution seemed
unlikely to succeed. A retired IDF officer, Baruch "Burka" Bar-Lev, had known Idi Amin for many years and was
considered to have a strong personal relationship with him. At the request of the cabinet he spoke with Amin on the
phone many times, attempting to obtain the release of the hostages, without success.[17] [18] The Israeli government
also approached the US government to deliver a message to Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, asking him to request
Amin to release the hostages.[19]
On the 1 July deadline,[20] the Israeli government offered to negotiate with the hijackers in order to extend the
deadline to 4 July. Amin asked them to extend the deadline until 4 July. This meant he could take a diplomatic trip to
Port Louis, Mauritius, in order to officially hand over the chairmanship of the Organisation of African Unity to
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.[21] This extension of the hostage deadline would prove crucial in allowing Israeli forces
enough time to get to Entebbe.[11]
On 3 July, the Israeli cabinet approved the rescue mission,[22] under the command of Major General Yekutiel "Kuti"
Adam with Matan Vilnai as the Deputy Commander.[23] Brigadier General Dan Shomron was appointed to
command the operation on the ground.[24]
Operation Entebbe 3

Raid preparation
Mossad built an accurate picture of the whereabouts of the hostages, the number of militants and the involvement of
Ugandan troops from the released hostages in Paris.[25] While preparing the raid the Israeli army consulted with
Israeli firms involved in building projects in Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. While planning the military
operation, the IDF erected a partial replica of the airport terminal with the help of civilians who had helped build the
original. It has been claimed by researchers that after arriving at the military base to begin work on the replica
building (not being aware beforehand what they were to do), the civilian Israeli contractors were invited to dinner
with the commander of the base. At the dinner, it was indicated to them that, upon completion of the replica, and in
the best interest of national security, they would be held as guests of the military for a few days.
According to a 5 July 2006, Associated Press interview with raid organizer "Muki" Betser, Mossad operatives
extensively interviewed the hostages who had been released.[26] As a result, another source of information was a
French-Jewish passenger who had been mistakenly released with the non-Jewish hostages. Betser reports that the
man had military training and "a phenomenal memory", allowing him to give information about the number and
arms of the hostage-takers, among other useful details.[26] After days of collecting intelligence and planning by
Netanyahu's deputy Moshe "Muki" Betser, four Israeli Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft flew secretly to
Entebbe Airport, by cover of night, without aid of Entebbe ground control.

Task force
The Israeli ground task force numbered approximately 100 personnel, and comprised the following:[24]
• The Ground Command and Control Element
This small group comprised the overall ground commander, Brig. Gen. Shomron, and the communications and
support personnel.
• The Assault Element
A 29-man assault unit led by Lt. Col. Netanyahu, this force was composed entirely of commandos from
Sayeret Matkal, and was given the primary task of assaulting the old terminal and rescuing the hostages. Major
Betser led one of the element's assault teams; Matan Vilnai led another.
• The Reinforcement Element
1. Securing the area, and preventing any hostile ground forces from interfering with the C-130 Hercules aircraft and
the actual rescue.
2. Destroying the squadron of MiG fighter jets on the ground, to prevent any possible interceptions by the Ugandan
Air Force.
3. Providing protection for and assisting in the loading of the hostages aboard the transports.
4. Assisting in the ground refuelling of the air transports.
Operation Entebbe 4

The raid

Attack route
The task force's route flew over Sharm al-Sheikh and
down the international flight path over the Red Sea,
mostly flying at a height of no more than 30 m (100 feet)
to avoid radar detection by Egyptian, Sudanese, and
Saudi Arabian forces. Near the south outlet of the Red
Sea the C-130s turned south and passed south of Djibouti.
From there, they went to a point northeast of Nairobi,
Kenya, likely across Somalia and the Ogaden area of
Ethiopia. They turned west, passing through the African
Rift Valley and over Lake Victoria.[27]
Aerial photo of the city of Entebbe and the Entebbe International
Two Boeing 707 jets followed the cargo planes. The first Airport in sunset
Boeing contained medical facilities and landed at Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. The commander of the operation, General Yekutiel Adam, was on
board the second Boeing, which circled over Entebbe Airport during the raid.[24]
The Israeli forces landed at Entebbe at 23:00 IST, with their cargo bay doors already open. A black Mercedes and
accompanying Land Rovers were taken along to give the impression that the Israeli troops driving from the landed
aircraft to the terminal building were an escort for a returning Amin, or other high-ranking official.[3] [28] The
Mercedes and its escort vehicles were quickly driven by the Israeli assault team members to the airport terminal in
the same fashion as Amin. Along the way, two Ugandan sentries, who were aware that Idi Amin had recently
purchased a white Mercedes to replace his black one, ordered this procession of vehicles to stop. The commandos
shot the sentries with silenced pistols, but failed to kill either of them.[3] As they pulled away, an Israeli commando
in one of the Land Rovers that followed the Mercedes noticed that the sentries were still alive, and immediately
killed them with a burst from his assault rifle.[3] Fearing premature alerting of the hijackers, the assault team was
quickly sent into action.[28]

Hostage rescue
The Israelis sprang from their vehicles and burst towards the terminal. The hostages were in the main hall of the
airport building, directly adjacent to the runway. Upon entering the terminal, the commandos were shouting through
a megaphone, "Stay down! Stay down! We are Israeli soldiers." in both Hebrew and English. A 19-year-old
Frenchman named Jean-Jacques Maimoni—who chose to identify himself as an Israeli Jew to the hijackers even
though he had a French passport—stood up,[13] and was killed by the Israeli commandos, who mistook him for a
hijacker. Another hostage, Pasco Cohen, 52, the manager of an Israeli medical insurance fund, was also fatally
wounded by gunfire from either the hijackers or the commandos.[13] In addition, a third hostage, 56-year-old Ida
Borochovitch, a Russian Jew who had emigrated to Israel, was killed in the crossfire.[29]
Operation Entebbe 5

At one point, an Israeli commando called out in Hebrew,

"Where are the rest of them?", referring to the hijackers.
The hostages pointed to a connecting door of the airport's
main hall, into which the Israeli commandos threw
several hand grenades. They then entered the room and
shot dead the three remaining hijackers, thus completing
their assault.[11] Meanwhile, the other three C-130
Hercules had landed and unloaded armoured personnel
carriers, which were to be used for defense during the
anticipated hour of refuelling; for the destruction of
Ugandan jet fighters at the airport so as to prevent them A C-130 Hercules in front of old terminal after arriving with food
and supplies for the Rwandan refugee camps in 1994. Note bullet
from pursuing the Israelis after their departure from
hole damage from the 1976 raid still visible.
Entebbe Airport; and for intelligence-gathering.[11]

Departure
After the raid, the Israeli assault team returned to their aircraft and began loading the hostages on board. Ugandan
soldiers shot at them in the process. The Israeli commandos returned fire with their assault rifles, inflicting heavy
casualties on the Ugandans. During this brief but intense moment, Ugandan soldiers fired at them from the Airport
control tower. Commander Yonatan Netanyahu was killed, possibly by a Ugandan sniper.[30] He was the only Israeli
commando killed in the operation.[11] The Israelis finished the loading, loaded Netanyahu's body into one of the
airplanes, and then left Entebbe Airport.[4] The entire operation lasted 53 minutes—of which the assault lasted only
30 minutes, and all seven hijackers that were present were killed.[11] At least five other Israeli commandos were
wounded. Out of the 105 hostages, three were killed and approximately 10 were wounded. One other hostage that
had been earlier moved to a hospital in Uganda was left behind and was subsequently murdered on Idi Amin’s order.
Around 33 to 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed during the raid, and about 11 Ugandan Army Air Force MiG-17
fighter planes were destroyed on the ground at Entebbe Airport.[4] The rescued hostages were flown to Israel via
Nairobi, Kenya, shortly after the fighting.[4] [7]

Ugandan reaction

Dora Bloch murder

Dora Bloch, a 75-year-old British Jewish immigrant, was taken to Mulago Hospital in Kampala, and was murdered
by the Ugandan government, as were some of her doctors and nurses for apparently trying to intervene.[13] In April
1987, Henry Kyemba, Uganda's Attorney General and Minister of Justice at the time, told the Uganda Human Rights
Commission that Bloch had been dragged from her hospital bed and murdered by two army officers on Idi Amin's
orders.[31] Mrs Bloch had been shot and her body dumped in the trunk of a car which had Ugandan intelligence
services number plates. Bloch's remains were recovered near a sugar plantation 20 miles (32 km) east of Kampala in
1979,[6] after the Ugandan–Tanzanian War led to the end of Amin's rule.[32]
Operation Entebbe 6

Murder of Kenyans
Idi Amin ordered the killing of hundreds of Kenyans living in Uganda in retaliation to Kenya's assistance to Israel in
the raid.[33]

Aftermath
The government of Uganda, led by Juma Oris, the Ugandan Foreign Minister at the time, later convened a session of
the United Nations Security Council to seek official condemnation of the Israeli raid,[34] as a violation of Ugandan
sovereignty. The Security Council ultimately declined to pass any resolution on the matter, condemning neither
Israel, nor Uganda. In his address to the Council, Israeli ambassador Chaim Herzog said:
We come with a simple message to the Council: we are proud of what we have done because we have
demonstrated to the world that a small country, in Israel's circumstances, with which the members of this
Council are by now all too familiar, the dignity of man, human life and human freedom constitute the highest
values. We are proud not only because we have saved the lives of over a hundred innocent people—men,
women and children—but because of the significance of our act for the cause of human freedom.[35] [36]
—HERZOG, Chaim.
Israel received support from the Western World for its operation. West Germany called the raid "an act of self
defense". Switzerland and France also praised Israel for the operation. Significant praise was received from
representatives of the United Kingdom and the US both of whom called it "an impossible operation". Some in the
United States noted that the hostages were freed on July 4, 1976 which was 200 years since the signing of the US
declaration of independence.[37] [38] [39] In closed conversation with Israeli Ambassador Dinitz, Kissinger sounded
criticism for Israeli use of US equipment during the operation, but that criticism was not made public.[40]
UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim described the raid as "a serious violation of the national sovereignty of a
United Nations member state" (meaning Uganda). Dozens of Ugandan soldiers were killed in the raid. The Arab and
Communist world condemned the operation calling it an act of aggression.
For refusing to depart (and subsequently leave some of his passengers as hostages) when given leave to do so by the
hijackers, Captain Bacos was reprimanded by his superiors at Air France and suspended from duty for a period. He
was awarded by Israel for his heroism in refusing to leave the Jewish hostages behind.[41]
In the ensuing years, Betser and the Netanyahu brothers—Iddo and Benjamin, all Sayeret Matkal veterans—argued
in increasingly public forums about who was to blame for the unexpected early firefight which caused Yonatan
Netanyahu's death and partial loss of tactical surprise.[42] [43]

Nationalities
The aircraft was carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members[11] [12] —of which four passengers were killed and
ten injured.[4] [7] From the total of 260 people on board, 256 returned home safely.
The four passengers killed were:
1. Jean-Jacques Maimoni—a 19-year-old French Jew who stood up while the Israeli commandos were eliminating
the hijackers. They may have mistaken him for a hijacker.[13]
2. Pasco Cohen—a 52-year-old manager of an Israeli medical insurance fund, who was killed by gunfire, either
from the hijackers or accidentally by the Israeli commandos.[13]
3. Ida Borochovitch—a 56-year-old Russian Jew who had immigrated to Israel, killed in the crossfire.[13]
4. Dora Bloch—a 75-year-old murdered by the Ugandan government at Mulago Hospital in Kampala while
receiving treatment for a condition unrelated to the raid. Her remains were recovered near a sugar plantation
20 miles (32 km) east of Kampala in 1979.[32]
Operation Entebbe 7

According to a list by Air France, most of the passengers were Israeli, French, American, and British citizens. All of
the 105 hostages taken were Jews. The complete list is as follows:

Nationality Passengers Crew Total

 Belgium 4 0 4

 Brazil 2 0 2

 Denmark 2 0 2

 France 42 12 54

 Greece 25 0 25

 Germany 1 0 1

 Israel 92 0 92

 Italy 9 0 9

 Japan 1 0 1

 South Korea 1 0 1

 Spain 5 0 5

 United Kingdom 30 0 30

 United States 34 0 34

Total 248 12 260

Gallery

The old terminal building as it The old Close up of the control Wall
appears today. terminal tower. plaque on
building as display at
seen from the the old
front. terminal
building.

The old terminal building of the

Entebbe International Airport as
seen from the air.
Operation Entebbe 8

Dramatisations and Documentaries

The incident was the subject of several films, two of which were U.S. productions with American/British casts; a
third was produced in Israel with mostly Israeli actors in the key roles. The hijacking of Air France Flight AF139 and
the subsequent rescue mission is featured in the documentary Operation Thunderbolt: Entebbe.[44] Below follow a
complete list of films on the subjects:
• Victory at Entebbe (1976): with Anthony Hopkins, Burt Lancaster, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Dreyfuss,
Director: Marvin J. Chomsky.
• Raid On Entebbe (1977): with Peter Finch, Horst Buchholz, Charles Bronson, Yaphet Kotto, and James Woods,
Director: Irvin Kershner, Producer: Edgar J. Scherick.
• Mivtsa Yonatan (English title: Operation Thunderbolt) (1977): Israeli Yehoram Gaon played Col. Netanyahu,
Austrian Sybil Danning and German Klaus Kinski played the hijackers. Director: Menahem Golan.
The incident is the subject of *Cohen on the Bridge a documentary by director Andrew Wainrib, who gained
unprecedented access to the surviving commandos and hostages. An animated short of the documentary won the St.
Louis International Film Festival's Festival Prize [45] , was an Award Winner at the Palm Springs Short Fest [46] and
played many festivals in 2010 including Big Sky, and Santa Barbara International. The feature length documentary is
slated for release in 2011, the 35th anniversary of Operation Entebbe.[47]
Other depictions include:
• In The Delta Force (1986) the hostage rescue operation was inspired by Operation Entebbe.
• The incident was also featured in Rise and Fall of Idi Amin (1980) and The Last King of Scotland (2006).
• The 1988 arcade game Operation Thunderbolt was loosely based on the events of Operation Entebbe.
• "Assault on Entebbe", an episode of the National Geographic Channel documentary Situation Critical featured
this incident.
• To Pay the Price is a 2009 play by Peter-Adrian Cohen based in part on Jonathan Netanyahu's letters.[48] The
play, produced by North Carolina's Theatre Or opened off-off Broadway in New York in June, 2009 during the
Festival of Jewish Theater and Ideas.[49]
• In the Simpsons episode "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed" (2010) the Israeli tourist guide (voiced by Sacha
Baron Cohen) offers Marge an Uzi submachinegun saying "You can hold my gun. I used it in Entebbe, I killed
three Ugandans!".

Notes
[1] Smith, Terence (4 July 1976). "HOSTAGES FREED AS ISRAELIS RAID UGANDA AIRPORT; Commandos in 3 Planes Rescue
105-Casualties Unknown Israelis Raid Uganda Airport And Free Hijackers' Hostages" (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.
html?res=F60816FA38591B728DDDAD0894DF405B868BF1D3). The New York Times. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[2] "Mossad took photos, Entebbe Operation was on its way." (http:/ / www. ynetnews. com/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3269662,00. html). Ynetnews.
2006. . Retrieved 2009-07-06.
[3] Feldinger, Lauren Gelfond. "Back to Entebbe" (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1150885879544& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/
Printer). Jerusalem Post. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[4] "Hostage Rescue at the Raid on Entebbe" (http:/ / www. operationentebbe. com/ p1_rescue. php). OperationEntebbe.Com. . Retrieved
2009-07-04.
[5] Middle Eastern terrorism, Mark Ensalaco p. 101 University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007
[6] "Body of Amin Victim Is Flown Back to Israel" (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.
html?res=F40B11FD3E5D12728DDDAD0894DE405B898BF1D3). New York Times. 4 June 1979, Monday, p. A3.
[7] "Operation Entebbe" (http:/ / www. knesset. gov. il/ lexicon/ eng/ entebbi_eng. htm). The Knesset at Sixty. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[8] Dershowitz, Alan M. Preemption: A Knife that Cuts both Ways, W. W. Norton (2006) p. 91
[9] Houghton, David Patrick. U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran Hostage Crisis, Cambridge Univ. Press (2001) pp. 86-87
[10] http:/ / www. airdisaster. com/ cgi-bin/ search_keyword. cgi?search=F-BVGG
[11] "General Dan Shomron—Times Online Obituary" (http:/ / www. timesonline. co. uk/ tol/ comment/ obituaries/ article3440122. ece).
London: The Times. 27 February 2008. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[12] Sources state varying numbers of passengers, between 228 and 248; the higher figure used is from the New York Times.
Operation Entebbe 9

[13] Ben, Eyal (3 July 2006). "Special: Entebbe's unsung hero." (http:/ / www. ynetnews. com/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3270314,00. html).
YNetNews.com. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[14] "Woolly Days: Entebbe" (http:/ / nebuchadnezzarwoollyd. blogspot. com/ 2006/ 08/ entebbe. html). 2 August 2006. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[15] David Tinnin, Like Father, Time (magazine), 8 August 1977. A review of Hitler's children by Julian Becker, Page 2 (http:/ / www. time.
com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,915234-2,00. html)
[16] "The Entebbe Rescue Mission" (http:/ / www. jewishvirtuallibrary. org/ jsource/ Terrorism/ entebbe. html). Israel Defense Forces. Jewish
Virtual Library. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[17] "Vindication for the Israelis." (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,914380,00. html) Time Magazine. 26 July 1976]
[18] "War of Words over a Tense Border." (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,914382,00. html) Time Magazine. 26 July
1976.
[19] Conversation between Henry Kissinger and Israeli Ambassador Simch Dinitz, June 30, 1976 (http:/ / foia. state. gov/ documents/ Kissinger/
0000C08F. pdf)
[20] Grimes, Paul. "Rescuing the Entebbe Hostages." (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.
html?res=F00712F7355E1A738DDDA90B94DF405B868BF1D3) New York Times. Friday, 30 July 1976. (The Weekend, p. 51)
[21] Lipkin-Shakhak, Tali. "The Forgotten Hero of Entebbe" (http:/ / www. historama. com/ online-resources/ articles/ israel/
dan_shomron_on_1976_entebbe_raid. html) Maariv. 16 June 2006.
[22] Terence, Smith (4 July 1976). ""Hostages Freed as Israelis Raid Uganda Airport." (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.
html?res=F60816FA38591B728DDDAD0894DF405B868BF1D3) New York Times. Sunday, 4 July 1976"]. The New York Times. . Retrieved
20 May 2010.
[23] Matan Vilnai: Deputy Minister of Defense. (http:/ / www. mfa. gov. il/ MFA/ MFAArchive/ 2000_2009/ 2003/ 6/ Matan Vilnai) Israel
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
[24] "Israel Defense Forces — Entebbe Diary" (http:/ / dover. idf. il/ IDF/ console/ article_page. aspx?doc_id=23016& lang=english). .
[25] "The Rescue: 'We Do the Impossible'." (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,914272,00. html). Time Magazine.
Monday, 12 July 1976. . Retrieved 2009-07-26.
[26] "Israel marks 30th anniversary of Entebbe." (http:/ / www. usatoday. com/ news/ world/ 2006-07-04-palestinian-pressure_x. htm) Associated
Press in USA Today. 5 July 2006.
[27] Stevenson, William (1976). Ninety Minutes at Entebbe. New York: Bantam Books. pp. 100. ISBN 0-553-10482-9.
[28] "Remembering Entebbe,Larry Domnitch" (http:/ / www. jewishpress. com/ pageroute. do/ 39910/ ). The Jewish Press. 1 July 2009. .
Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[29] "Entebbe's unsung hero" (http:/ / www. ynetnews. com/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3270314,00. html), Ynetnews.com. 2006.
[30] Operation Thunderball (Film Documentary)
[31] "The July 4 Entebbe rescue was a gift from Israel to the world" (http:/ / www. examiner. com/
x-11015-Kansas-City-Jewish-Life-Examiner~y2009m7d3-The-July-4-Entebbe-rescue-was-a-gift-from-Israel-to-the-worldhttp:/ / www.
examiner. com/ x-11015-Kansas-City-Jewish-Life-Examiner~y2009m7d3-The-July-4-Entebbe-rescue-was-a-gift-from-Israel-to-the-world).
Judy Press. . Retrieved 2009-07-04.
[32] Verkaik, Robert (13 February 2007). "Revealed: the fate of Idi Amin's hijack victim—Crime, UK—The Independent" (http:/ / www.
independent. co. uk/ news/ uk/ crime/ revealed-the-fate-of-idi-amins-hijack-victim-436181. html). London: The Independent. . Retrieved
2009-07-04.
[33] "1976: Israelis rescue Entebbe hostages" (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ onthisday/ hi/ dates/ stories/ july/ 4/ newsid_2786000/ 2786967. stm).
BBC – On this day. 4 July 2008. . Retrieved 2009-07-26.
[34] Teltsch, Kathleen. "Uganda Bids U.N. Condemn Israel for Airport Raid." (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.
html?res=FB0B11F73F5B167493C2A8178CD85F428785F9) New York Times. 10 July 1976. (Section: The Week In Review)
[35] Herzog, Chaim. Heroes of Israel. p. 284.
[36] Fendel, Hillel. "Israel Commemorates 30th Anniversary of Entebbe Rescue." (http:/ / www. israelnationalnews. com/ News/ News. aspx/
106568) Israel National News.
[37] "Age of Terror: Episode one" (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ player/ nol/ newsid_7340000/ newsid_7349900/ 7349983. stm?bw=nb& mp=wm&
news=1& ms3=6& ms_javascript=true& bbcws=2). BBC News. 16 April 2008. .
[38] http:/ / www. ynet. co. il/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3525616,00. html
[39] ‫( הבטנא עצבמ‬http:/ / www. mota. co. il/ antebe. htm)
[40] Conversation between Kissinger and Dinitz, July 5, 1976 (http:/ / foia. state. gov/ documents/ Kissinger/ 0000BE67. pdf)
[41] Kaplan, David E. "A historic hostage-taking revisited." (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1154525798527& pagename=JPost/
JPArticle/ Printer) Jerusalem Post. 3 August 2006.
[42] Sharon Roffe-Ofir "Entebbe's open wound" (http:/ / www. ynet. co. il/ english/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3270234,00. html) Ynet, 7 February 2006
[43] Josh Hamerman "Battling against 'the falsification of history'" (http:/ / www. ynetnews. com/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3384084,00. html) Ynet
News, 4 February 2007
[44] McFadden, Robert. "6 Film Studios Vie Over Entebbe Raid." (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.
html?res=F60A15F63F551B7493C4AB178CD85F428785F9) New York Times. 26 July 1976.
[45] " (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ event/ ev0000623/ . )
Operation Entebbe 10

[46] Cohen on the Bridge: Rescue at Entebbe | 2010 Palm Springs Int'l ShortFest | Andrew Wainrib | Israel (http:/ / www. psfilmfest. org/
festival/ film/ detail. aspx?id=21974& FID=44)
[47] " (http:/ / www. cotbfilm. com)
[48] Cohen, Peter-Adrian. "theatreor.com presents A WORLD PREMIERE from an Israeli Perspective" (http:/ / www. theatreor. com/ ). .
Retrieved 2009-07-05.
[49] "Untitled Theater Co #61's Fest Of Jewish Theater & Ideas Runs" (http:/ / broadwayworld. com/ article/
Untitled_Theater_Co_61s_Fest_Of_Jewish_Theater_Ideas_Runs_520614_In_NYC_20090520). 20 May 2009. . Retrieved 2009-07-05.

References

Further reading
• Avner, Yehuda (2010). The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership. The Toby Press.
pp. 303-318. ISBN 9781592642786.
• Betser, Muki (1996). Secret Soldier. Sydney: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-85233-7.
• Dunstan, Simon (2009). Israel's Lighting Strike, The raid on Entebbe 1976. Osprey Publishing; Osprey Raid
Series #2. ISBN 978-1-84603-397-1.
• Hastings, Max. Yoni: Hero of Entebbe. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-27127-1.
• Netanyahu, Iddo. Yoni's Last Battle: The Rescue at Entebbe, 1976. Gefen Books. ISBN 965-229-283-4.
• Netanyahu, Ido; Netanyahu, ʻIdo; Netanyahu, Iddo; Hazony, Yoram (2003). Entebbe: the Jonathan Netanyahu
story: a defining moment in the war on terrorism. Green Forest, AR: Balfour Books. ISBN 0-89221-553-4.
• Netanyahu, Jonathan; Netanyahu, Jonathna; Netanyahu, Binyamin; Netanyahu, Ido; Wouk, Herman. Self-Portrait
of a Hero: From the Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu, 1963-1976. Warner Books Inc. ISBN 0-446-67461-3.
• Netanyahu, Jonathan. The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu : The Commander of the Entebbe Rescue Operation.
Gefen Publishing House, Ltd. ISBN 965-229-267-2.
• Stevenson, William (1976). 90 minutes at Entebbe. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-10482-9.

External links
• Operation Thunderbolt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Bou72k2fY&NR=1&feature=fvwp), video by
National Geographic, 4 min.
• Raid on Entebbe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ct-meb6U0&feature=related) video and digitized
reenactment, 9 min.
• Operation Thunderbolt - part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffRQ6e29Dw0&feature=related) video
documentary - detailed, 9 min. part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJU1VsgI_-I&feature=related) 10
min.
• isayeret.com (http://www.isayeret.com/) - The Israeli Special Forces Database
• BBC Article and Videos - 4 July 1976: Israelis rescue Entebbe hostages (BBC) (http://newssearch.bbc.co.uk/
onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_2786000/2786967.stm)
• BBC: 30th anniversary of the raid on Entebbe (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5101412.stm)
• BBC Age of Terror - Episode 1: Terror International (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/age_of_terror/
7303356.stm)
• Operation Entebbe protocols (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3980051,00.html) Ynetnews Nov.
5, 2010. transcripts of Israeli Cabinet discussions
Article Sources and Contributors 11

Article Sources and Contributors

Operation Entebbe  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=406326436  Contributors: 79times, ACookr, Abu badali, AdultSwim, Aecis, Agha Nader, Ajraddatz, Al Ameer son, Alex
Spade, AlexLehm, Alien888, Altmany, Am86, Amberrock, AnOddName, Analogdrift, AndresHerutJaim, Andrwsc, Anotherclown, Anthony Appleyard, Anyeverybody, ApprenticeFan, Ardfern,
Armando82, Arre, Aschoeff, Ashley Pomeroy, Astanhope, Avalyn, AxelBoldt, Ayrton Prost, BD2412, BYF, Balarishi, Bcasterline, BeadMused, Beit Or, BenM, Bergie, Bigware, Black Kite,
Blackangel25, Bml, Bobmilkman, Borgx, Brewcrewer, Brf00, BritBoy, Bryan Derksen, Bucksburg, CWenger, Californiafriedrice, Calliopejen1, Carlson288, Chillum, Chris the speller,
ChrisfromHouston, Christian75, Chzz, Cirt, Cleduc, Cln23, Clown in black and yellow, Coolcaesar, Corbynz, Crazy tyler2002, Crosbiesmith, CylonCAG, Cynical, D.c.camero, DRosenbach, Dale
Arnett, DarthKieduss, Dauster, David Be, Derwig, Descendall, Dialagranny, Digresser, Discospinster, Dog Eat Dog World, Dominus, DurhamDog, Durova, Dweller, Ed Poor, El C, Elb2000,
Electron9, Ellsworth, Elonka, Ethelh, Eurosong, Ezadarque, Ezeu, Faigl.ladislav, Filmcom, FlorianB, FredsDream, Friedfish, Fru1tbat, GHcool, Galoubet, General Epitaph, Gilabrand,
Globalfrogman, Gogo Dodo, Grieferhate, Gurch, Gwguffey, Hajor, Hertz1888, Hetar, Historicist, Historion1, HistoryBuff1983, Historygypsy, Hmains, Hnsampat, Howcheng, Hugo999, Humus
sapiens, IZAK, Ian Donaldson, Ian Pitchford, Ilana81, IndulgentReader, Ipoellet, IronDuke, Ironbeach, Isnow, J04n, Jan26, Janm67, Jasepl, Jayjg, Jehochman, Jerseycam, JesseRafe, Jetfire85,
Jim Fitzgerald, Jim Sweeney, Jkp1187, Jnothman, Joeyfjj, Joffeloff, John, John Broughton, Johnatx, Johnkatz1972, Jonathanleblang, Joriki, Joyous!, Judae1, Karl Dickman, Kazrak, Keallu, Keith
H., Kelly Martin, Kent Wang, Kepiblanc, Kfranco, Kidane, Killerman2, Killioughtta, Kingal86, Kingpin13, Kirill Lokshin, Koavf, KrJnX, Kuralyov, Kushmerick, Kwigell, LOL, Laurens-af,
Leandrod, Lord Pistachio, LouriePieterse, Lwalt, MARK S., MPickle235, MSTCrow, Mackant1, Makaristos, Markus451, Mattcaplan, Mauls, Mawa, Mboverload, McTrixie, Mepat111, Merat,
Mgiganteus1, Mike Selinker, Mirror Vax, Misheu, Moriori, Moverton, Mr Adequate, Mr.NorCal55, Mreeder54, Mstroh, MuZemike, Mugsywwiii, Mushfique.manzoor, Mushmush123, Nadav1,
Natural Cut, Neutrality, Norm mit, Northern, Novem Linguae, Now3d, Nowaron, Number 57, Nutmeg39, Oden, Okinawasan, Ospalh, Oti Shor, PZFUN, Padraic, Palapala, PalestineRemembered,
Patrick, Paul Benjamin Austin, Paul1776, Pearle, Pennywisepeter, PerfectStorm, PetterLundkvist, Philip Baird Shearer, Plasticup, Pokeraddict, Polylerus, Postmc, Potjernik, Pouya, Ppetru,
Predavatel, Prezbo, PrimusUnus, Publicus, Rbraunwa, Rebecca, Reenem, Reeveorama, Renoti, Rich Farmbrough, Rjwilmsi, Roachford, Robert Brockway, Ron Ritzman, Rory737-800, Rothorpe,
Rschmertz, RudyB, SCZenz, SJP, Sam Blacketer, Sanya, Saros136, Scarlight, Scottjduffy, Searcher 1990, Seb az86556, Shabicht, Shaul, Sheynhertz-Unbayg, Shirulashem, Shlishke,
SilentOne17, Smith Jones, Snigbrook, Soviet Dolphin, Stepheng3, Stevertigo, Stickee, Stoopideggs2, Str1977, Suladna, Superm401, Swatjester, Tainter, Teiresia, Telaviv1, Tewfik, The Hollow
Man2010, The Mad Bomber, TheCuriousGnome, Themightyquill, Thomasyen, Thue, Tiger Khan, Tigerman1138, Tkalisky, TreveX, Trevor MacInnis, Trillium.moss, Trusilver, Tvoz, Twas Now,
Tzadikv, UnicornTapestry, Uriber, VanSisean, Verne Equinox, Versus22, Vidur itm, WadeSimMiser, Wavelength, WegianWarrior, WhisperToMe, Wikifan12345, Wikiliki, WikiphyteMk1,
WikitKeeper, Wikiwatcher1, Wildhartlivie, Williamkholeif, Wolbo, Woohookitty, Www06035, XLR8TION, XLerate, Xlation, Yachtsman1, Ynhockey, Yone Fernandes, Yosy, Zander, Zeno
Gantner, Ziggysdaydream, Zippy, ²¹², ΚΕΚΡΩΨ, ‫יש דוד‬, 547 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Entebbe Aerial.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe_Aerial.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0  Contributors: User:PetterLundkvist
Image:Entebbe Airport DF-ST-99-05538.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe_Airport_DF-ST-99-05538.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: SRA Andy
Dunaway
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Bean49, David Descamps,
Dbenbenn, Denelson83, Fry1989, Howcome, Ms2ger, Nightstallion, Oreo Priest, Rocket000, Sir Iain, ThomasPusch, Warddr, Zscout370, 3 anonymous edits
File:Flag of Brazil.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Brazil.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Brazilian Government
File:Flag of Denmark.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Denmark.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Madden
File:Flag of France.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_France.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:SKopp, User:SKopp, User:SKopp, User:SKopp,
User:SKopp, User:SKopp
File:Flag of Greece.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Greece.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: (of code) (talk)
File:Flag of Germany.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Germany.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Madden, User:Pumbaa80, User:SKopp
File:Flag of Israel.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Israel.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnonMoos, Bastique, Bobika, Brown spite, Captain
Zizi, Cerveaugenie, Drork, Etams, Fred J, Fry1989, Geagea, Himasaram, Homo lupus, Humus sapiens, Klemen Kocjancic, Kookaburra, Luispihormiguero, Madden, Neq00, NielsF, Nightstallion,
Oren neu dag, Patstuart, PeeJay2K3, Pumbaa80, Ramiy, Reisio, SKopp, Technion, Typhix, Valentinian, Yellow up, Zscout370, 31 anonymous edits
File:Flag of Italy.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Italy.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: see below
File:Flag of Japan.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Japan.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Various
File:Flag of South Korea.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_South_Korea.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Various
File:Flag of Spain.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Spain.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Pedro A. Gracia Fajardo, escudo de Manual de Imagen
Institucional de la Administración General del Estado
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Zscout370
File:Flag of the United States.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Dbenbenn,
User:Indolences, User:Jacobolus, User:Technion, User:Zscout370
Image:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-001.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-001.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:
LTC David Konop, United States Army Africa (SETAF), Public Affairs Officer
Image:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-002.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-002.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:
LTC David Konop, United States Army Africa (SETAF), Public Affairs Officer
Image:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-003.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-003.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:
LTC David Konop, United States Army Africa (SETAF), Public Affairs Officer
Image:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-004.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-004.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:
LTC David Konop, United States Army Africa (SETAF), Public Affairs Officer
Image:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-005.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Entebbe-international-airport-2009-005.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:
LTC David Konop, United States Army Africa (SETAF), Public Affairs Officer

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
http:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/