In a clandestine operation on the night of July 3-4, 1976, an Israeli special forces team successfully freed more than 100 Israeli and Jewish hostages from terrorist violence in Entebbe, Uganda, almost 4,000 kilometers away. This extremely daring and courageous Israeli rescue operation 50 years ago attracted worldwide attention. Our guest author, Rainer Urban, highlights key aspects of the events.
By Rainer Urban
The planning of the kidnapping
June 10, 1976, on the floor of a high-rise building near Aden, then the capital of Yemen: A briefing for the terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – External Operations (PFLP-EO), led by Wadia Haddad, was held. The plan: a plane hijacking. The demand: the release of Palestinian and German prisoners from Israeli and European prisons.
The chosen flight is Air France Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris, with a stopover in Athens. A German terrorist couple, along with two PFLP-EO members, are to board the plane in Athens and, with their hand luggage packed with hand grenades and explosives, begin the hijacking shortly after takeoff. No baggage checks by Greek airport staff are expected. The plan: The Airbus, with all passengers and crew, will be hijacked via Benghazi, Libya, to Entebbe, Uganda.
The role of Idi Amin
Idi Amin, an unpredictable Ugandan military leader and dictator, was president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He came to power through a military coup and ruled autocratically. Although once a friend of Israel, he increasingly became an Israel-hater and an admirer of the Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi.
As early as October 1, 1975, he delivered a vile antisemitic diatribe before the United Nations General Assembly. He declared Zionism an "enemy of humanity." He called on the USA to "cleanse its society of the Zionists" and demanded "Israel's expulsion from the United Nations and the destruction of Israel as a state.".
It remained unclear whether Idi Amin, as a supporter of the Palestinian cause, was privy to the kidnapping plans. What is certain is that he appeared in Entebbe, greeted the kidnappers, and the Ugandan military seemed to support the hostage-takers rather than hinder them.
Entebbe Airport
On Monday, June 28, 1976, the hijacked Air France plane taxied toward the old airport building around midday. Before the hostages could enter a large, empty hall of the terminal, they had to pass through a gauntlet of Ugandan soldiers. The soldiers brought chairs and fans; it was oppressively hot.
For breakfast the next morning, the soldiers and Air France flight attendants served Ugandan coffee, tea, and rolls. Children were allowed to play on the grass in front of the terminal. That evening, the German terrorist Wilfried Böse announced through a megaphone: “I will now read out the names of those present here; we will now divide you into two groups. When you hear your name, go over to the next room. It has nothing to do with nationality.”
A profound silence fell over the 241 hostages. The situation became clear to everyone: selection. Memories of Auschwitz and the Holocaust resurfaced. Once again, it was a German who gave the order. One group of hostages was flown out. Many Jewish people of various nationalities remained behind, as well as those whose names, in the hijackers' view, sounded Jewish. The French flight crew, under Captain Michel Bacos, defied the hijackers' call and voluntarily stayed with the Israeli and Jewish hostages. The burning question on everyone's mind: Would the Israeli government enter into negotiations with the terrorists?
Israeli activities
In fact, on Thursday, July 1st, an emergency meeting of the Israeli General Staff took place in Jerusalem. Defense Minister Shimon Peres announced that Israel—40 minutes before the ultimatum expired—intended to negotiate with the terrorists through French mediation. However, he failed to mention that he had been in contact with the head of Mossad for days regarding a possible operation by the Israeli intelligence service.
Several operational options were discussed. Finally, each member of the General Staff was asked to write down on a slip of paper what chance they would give a rescue operation. Only one slip of paper bore the answer: "100%." It was the answer of General Dan Shomron, 39, commander of the infantry and paratroopers.
In the Six-Day War of 1967, he was the first with his unit to reach the Suez Canal. In the Yom Kippur War of 1973, as commander of a tank brigade, he encircled the Egyptian army on the east bank of the canal. An experienced, extremely demanding, but also approachable officer. As a paratrooper instructor, he befriended Jonathan Netanyahu—brother of the future Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who became his best friend and protégé. Together, they planned "Operation Thunderclap.".
Operation Thunderclap
On Saturday afternoon, four Hercules aircraft finally took off for Entebbe. They had 3,652 kilometers and a seven-hour flight ahead of them. After a storm and rain over Lake Victoria, the sky suddenly cleared and the runway lights became visible.
In a black Mercedes, like the ones Idi Amin frequently used, Yoni Netanyahu and his men drove from the belly of the Hercules aircraft to the airport's main building in a diversionary maneuver, followed by more Land Rovers. The old terminal building lay before them, illuminated by floodlights. They overcame a Ugandan patrol that suddenly appeared. Meanwhile, more Hercules aircraft landed and secured various sections of the airport.
Within a very short time, almost all the terrorists are eliminated. One of the soldiers shouts into the hall: “This is the ISIS, these are the Israeli armed forces – we are taking them home. Please remain lying flat on the floor.” The soldiers have orders not to shoot at Ugandan soldiers unless they open fire. The evacuation of the hostages begins. Joy is reflected in the faces of those rescued – but no triumph. Three Jewish civilians have been killed, and Officer Yoni Netanyahu has died after being shot. The operation was later renamed “Operation Jonathan” in his honor. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, a large part of the Ugandan air force is destroyed shortly afterward. At 11:43 p.m., the first Hercules takes off again – less than an hour after “Operation Thunderclap” began on Ugandan soil.
In Israel and in the capitals of the Western world, the news of the release of the 105 hostages was received with great relief. Tiny Israel had the courage, the capability, and the determination to deliver a devastating blow to international terrorism. British MP Rhodes Boyson commented that with this commando operation, Israel had "done more for the rule of law than the United Nations has done in 20 years.".
