Operation Entebbe, actually operation Thunderball/Thunderbolt, later renamed in operation Jonathan after the director/conductor of the operation, Colonel Jonathan "Yoni" Netanjahu, which died with the operation, was a hostage release by the Israeli army and took place in the night from 3 July and the early morning 4 of July 1976 on the airport of Entebbe (Uganda).

Seven days before the air France flight 139 was kidnapped from Athens to Paris to land in a forced manner to the airport Bengasi (Libya) rerouted and finally in Entebbe.

The kidnappers were eight terrorists of the people front for the release of Palestine, group outside operation, Wadi Hadad as well as two terrorists of the revolutionary cells (Wilfried bad). These were supported obviously by the per-Palestinian ugandischen regime Idi of amine. With the plane hi-jacking the release of altogether 53 should arrested from prisons in Israel, France, which Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland are extorted. Among them among other things prisoners of the RAF and the movement 2 June.

The passengers held in the old transit-resounds the terminal as hostages. The terrorists released later a larger number of them and held only 80 Israelis as well as approx. 20 Frenchmen than hostages.

Because of the announcement of the kidnappers that the crew and the non-Jewish passengers would become released and in another air France airplane transfer might, such was brought after Entebbe.

The captain of the flight 139, Michel Bacos, announced to the kidnappers that all passengers would be subject to his responsibility, why it did not want to leave them. Its entire crew, to down to the youngest flight companion followed it voluntarily. After its return to Paris Bacos for its behavior was in accordance with-eat-regulated by its superiors with the air France and relieved for a certain time by its tasks. A French nun refused likewise going and wanted the place to a hostage to take over, however by ugandischen soldiers into the waiting air France airplane was forced.

After days, those with the collecting of information and careful planning were course-broken flew four Hercules transport aircrafts to Entebbe and landed at night without ground support on the airport, in order to free the remaining hostages. A Air Force jet with medical mechanisms, which flew to the airport of Nairobi to Kenya, followed them.

Over one hundred soldiers of the Israeli defense forces, including elite soldiers of the Sayeret Matkal, were involved in the action. Some Mossad troops might have likewise been involved in the action. Rumor way was also Ulrich Wegener involved in the operation.

The transportation machines landed one hour before midnight with opened tail gates. A black Mercedes Benz with accompanying jeeps was bring along, in order to divert the suspicion, while the Israeli troops drove from the landed airplane to the terminal building: This should look like a escort for Idi amine or another high official one.

The attack took only approximately thirty minutes, six terrorists was killed. From the 103 hostages three, a hostage died found death, as them on the Israeli troops zusprang. One speculated, the Israeli troops would have been taken prisoner some the terrorists, but but there are no proofs. Ugandi troops opened likewise the fire on Israeli troops, whereby Colonel Netanjahu was killed. A further Israeli hostage was at this time in a hospital in Kampala; they were killed on the following day ermordet.45 ugandische soldiers during the attack, a ugandische combat peeping witness, who were on the airfield, were made flight unable. The released hostages were brought later short time via Nairobi to Israel.

TV-filmings

The incident was treated in three films, two was US-American productions with international occupation, which became third in Israel with mostly Israeli actors in the main roles produced.

• Victory RK Entebbe (1976) with Richard Dreyfuss, Anthony Hopkins, Burt Lancaster, Elizabeth Taylor. Director: Marvin J. Chomsky
• Raid on Entebbe (1977) with Peter Finch, Horst book wood, Charles Bronson, Yaphet Kotto. Director: Irvin Kershner
• Mivtsa Yonatan (English title: Operation Thunderbolt) (1977) with Sybil Danning, Klaus Kinski. Director: Menahem Golan

Related links

• 25 years since the operation Jonathan. The science of Entebbe
• Official detailed report of Israeli defense us armed forces (English)
• English report

English literature

• Stevenson, William (1976): Ninety Minutes RK Entebbe Bantam Books ISBN 0553104829 (French: OD. 1976)
• Hastings, max (1979): Yoni, Hero OF Entebbe Bantam Doubleday Dell publication. ISBN 0385271271
• Netanyahu, Jonathan/Netanyahu, Benjamin/Netanyahu, Iddo (1998): Self Portrait OF A Hero: From the Letters OF Jonathan Netanyahu, 1963-1976 Warner Books ISBN 0446674613
• Netanyahu, Jonathan (2001): The Letters OF Jonathan Netanyahu Gefen Books ISBN 9652292672
• Netanyahu, Iddo (2001): Yoni's load Battle: The Rescue RK Entebbe, 1976 Gefen Books ISBN 9652292834
• Netanyahu, Iddo (2003):

Articles in category "Operation Entebbe"

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