Opeartion Jonathon - Entebbe

Operation Entebbe or Thunderbolt/ball, but later renamed Operation Jonathon, in the honour and memory of Lt. Colonel Jonathon Netanyahu who led the opeartion and was killed in the operation, who was also the brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, who was later to become the Prime Ministor of Israel.
Operations Jonathon, the hostage rescue mission which took place in the year 1976, even before I was born. It is one of the most effective and if not 100% successful: Friendly fire of mis-communication between Israeli commandos and Posco Cohen (who was looking for his missing daughter), two others during cross fire and Lt. Colonel JN, but one of the most credited and successful rescue operations in the world.
During the northern summer of June 1976, 2 terrorist from PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) and 2 from a German "revolutionary" group called "Baader-Meinhof gang" hijacked and forced Israel to Paris bound Air France to Idi Amin Airport, Entebbe, international airport of Uganda. Terrorists relased all the hostages save Israelis and the Jews.
They demanded that  53 Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel and 4 other countries be relaeased, else they will blow up the plane with the hostage. Hostages were given minimum supply of food and water just to keep them alive.  48 hour deadline was extented to 4th of July 1976.  Lot of pressure was upon Israel from the public, Israeli Government was ready to negotiate. While on the other hand intelligence Services were evaluating the rescue mission, they were counting the cost as in risk.
Within in short and limited time much information was gathered by Israelis, with the help of Israeli construction firm Solel Boneh, who build the building where the hostages were held, got all their blue prints and floor plans, Mossad interviewing the released hostages in Paris, drew the solid whereabouts pictures of the hostages and the terrorists and plus with the help of another French-Jewish passenger, who was mistakenly released not knowing he was a Jew, he gave additional useful infomation of the location and number of arms and the hostage takers. He was reported to have military training and excellent memory in providing the detail information.
With all these info and intelliegnce, about 200 multi-purpose commados took off in three Hercules transport planes to Uganda 2,500, miles trip from Israel for the rescue mission. About 2200GMT Ugandan soliders and the hijackers were completely taken by suprise. Battle lasted for about 30-35 minute, 20 Uganda soldiers with all seven hijackers and three hostages died on that day. Dramatic raid by Israeli foiled the plan of the terrorists.

Leave a comment