The expanse of war – Entebbe

It has now been 50 years since the most elaborate air/rescue mission in history was mounted in Israel (July 4, 1976), to gain back the hostages taken on June 27 by terrorists in the hijacking of an Air France Airbus on a flight from Tel Aviv to Paris.

My wife and I were pastoring an international church in Taipei, Taiwan, at the time, and marveled at the intricate mission. The immediate commander of the raid was Lt. Col. Jonathon Netanyahu, brother of Israel’s present leader and the only team member to die on the epic mission. It all happened on America’s bicentennial celebration!

Of all the daring raids and rescues, the seemingly impossible flight of an Israeli team from their homeland to the city of Entebbe, Uganda, on July 4, 1976, is unprecedented in terms of danger and distance! The drama began to unfold on June 27, as a party of two German terrorists (one a woman) and two Arabs commandeered an Air France Airbus to Athens, as it landed briefly on a flight from Tel Aviv to Paris.  

Eight minutes after takeoff, they produced guns and grenades, and forced the plane, with its 245 passengers (mostly Israeli), to divert to Entebbe, the domain of the animalistic dictator Idi Amin. His troops promptly joined in watching over the hostages.

Twenty-five hundred miles away in Israel, the nation was incensed by such an act, and military leaders under the command of Major General Dan Shamron began planning a mission that, to the ordinary mind, was unthinkable. How would it be possible to gain entrance to a nation so far away and have any reasonable success in neutralizing the scenario?

Obviously, any rescue plan would have to be carried out at night, gain access to the airport where the plane was held, and be a complete surprise! Even with years of specialized training and perhaps the best planners and strategists in the world, the chance of landing a sizeable force without alerting the entire military contingent would be very, very touch-and-go!

Retired Air Force Commander Major General Benny Peled, now a civilian yet highly respected, challenged the assigned force to act. One hundred ninety-two elite Israeli soldiers assembled, underwent intense rehearsals, and were prepared for any eventuality. They needed all the expertise and luck they could get. Still, the government felt compelled to retaliate.

There would be four aircraft involved: one Boeing 707, which would monitor the airport from 13,000 feet, and three C-130 Hercules Transports to effect the landing in darkness. The first C-130, with a black Mercedes sedan on board (similar to Idi Amin’s usual transportation), would be the first to land.

This time, the Mercedes would be packed with Israeli paratroopers and infantrymen, armed with sophisticated weapons. The other two aircraft would follow close behind with two Land Rovers, similarly armed. The Land Rovers would follow the Mercedes on its approach to the terminal, taking the terrorists and Ugandan force by surprise.

After quickly subduing the airport guards, the Israelis charged into the terminal. Sharpshooters startled the terrorists, and within fifty-three minutes, the first plane carrying hostages left the country. Four hostages died in the crossfire and aftermath, along with the terrorists and many Ugandan soldiers.

The first plane also carried Lt. Col. Netanyahu, who was shot in the back by a sniper as he approached the battle zone. He was the raid’s only Israeli casualty and would long be remembered as a hero in the fight against terrorism. A special institute was established in his honor to combat the growing international problem.

History shows that not all missions similar to Entebbe have succeeded, but there are circumstances when such action is deemed absolutely necessary.

In retrospect, two things are certain: The first is that the world will most certainly be faced with repeat performances of hijacking and taking of hostages. Secondly, there can be no sensible negotiations with such criminals. Israel proved their “mettle” at Entebbe and illustrated the possibilities of sophisticated interdiction of terrorists and their plots.

The civil world applauds this exhibition of courage and professionalism!