After Weeks of Planning, Seconds Made the Difference in Israel’s Hostage Rescue
By: David A. Andelman
The hostage crisis in Entebbe, Uganda, in 1976 was a turning point in the history of counter-terrorism. It was the first time that a government had taken the risk of launching a rescue mission to save its citizens from terrorists.
The operation, which took place on July 4, 1976, was a remarkable success, but it was also a close-run thing. The Israeli Air Force’s Hercules transport planes, loaded with commandos, had to fly low to avoid radar detection. They were forced to land in the Sudan, where they refueled, and then flew on to Entebbe.
The Israeli commandos, led by Yonatan Netanyahu, the brother of the current Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stormed the airport, killing all the terrorists and freeing the hostages.
But the operation was fraught with danger. The Israeli government had been planning the rescue for weeks, but the timing was crucial. The hostages were to be released on July 5, and the Israelis had to act before then.
The operation was a gamble, and it could have gone horribly wrong. But it was a gamble that paid off, and it set a precedent for future hostage rescue operations.