Israel Releases Classified Documents Detailing 1976 Entebbe Raid To Free More Than 100 Hostages

JERUSALEM — Israel connected Friday released a cache of antecedently classified documents that outline successful item nan decisions down a daring 1976 ambush to free much than 100 hostages held captive successful Uganda.

The cognition saw dozens of Israeli commandos large wind nan Entebbe Airport wherever Palestinian and German militants — backed by Ugandan forces — had taken 106 passengers from a hijacked formation from Tel Aviv to Paris. It lasted little than an hr pinch constricted casualties among nan commandos and hostages, astir of whom were either Israeli aliases Jewish, making it nan worldly of lore fixed nan trouble and high-risk quality of nan mission.

Israel released nan files up of nan raid’s 50th day connected July 3, and arsenic nan federation still grapples pinch nan aftermath of nan hostage situation that began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023. The onslaught killed astir 1,200 group and saw 251 others taken hostage to Gaza.

The files connected nan Entebbe ambush build connected earlier disclosures and what was already known astir then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s advertisement hoc situation squad and show really officials weighed negotiating for nan hostages’ merchandise against attempting a long‑range cognition that would require Israeli commandos to alert thousands of miles complete aggregate dispute states.

The squad initially insisted location should beryllium nary negotiations pinch nan hostage‑takers — nan Popular Front for nan Liberation of Palestine and West Germany’s Revolutionäre Zellen. The groups, which hijacked nan Air France formation from Tel Aviv erstwhile it stopped complete successful Athens, demanded nan merchandise of prisoners successful aggregate countries and warned they would commencement sidesplitting hostages if talks hadn’t delivered by their self‑imposed deadline.

But arsenic nan situation dragged connected complete six days and unit from nan families of nan hostages grew, Israeli leaders gradually became much unfastened to talks, according to a summary of nan files released by nan Israel State Archives.

“The zero hr is approaching … We judge that a ultimate effort must beryllium made and break nan ultimatum,” Rabin’s situation squad wrote successful 1 memo, authorizing negotiations complete immoderate of nan conditions.

Israel has historically negotiated pinch Palestinian militant groups to speech hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees moreover arsenic critics warned nan believe could promote much kidnappings. Entebbe is often viewed arsenic a infinitesimal erstwhile Israel pivoted -- choosing a risky subject cognition — but Friday’s documents propose otherwise. Behind nan scenes, officials moved to unit only erstwhile negotiations stalled and assurance successful a imaginable cognition grew.

According to nan documents, Israel took a two-pronged approach. It pushed guardant France-led negotiations pinch Ugandan President Idi Amin, while mocking up blueprints of nan airdrome and preparing to nonstop carrier planes to Kenya and onto Uganda to ambush nan airdrome nether nan acheronian of night.

The commandos collapsed into nan airdrome and saved each but 3 hostages killed successful nan crossfire. During nan gunbattle, Israeli forces killed each of nan hijackers and dozens of Ugandan soldiers. Only 1 commando — Yonatan Netanyahu, relative of early Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — was killed.

The cognition was criticized by Amin and nan Organization of African Unity — nan African Union’s predecessor statement — which saw nan ambush arsenic a usurpation of Uganda’s sovereignty astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile it claimed to beryllium negotiating for nan hostages’ release.

For Israel, Entebbe was wide seen arsenic a occurrence conscionable 4 years aft each 9 Israeli hostages were killed successful a German-led rescue effort astatine nan 1972 Summer Olympics successful Munich. Still, its leaders knew that subject successes would not extremity conflict.

“Let america not deceive ourselves,” Rabin wrote successful 1 of nan memos released Friday. “It was an bonzer cognition and achievement. However, nan problem is not over. Terrorism continues to operate. What different problems coercion will airs to america and what lessons we must study from this matter, it is excessively early to say. We person vanished 1 battle, but nan warfare continues.”

Metz and Hazboun constitute for nan Associated Press.