Israel's History of Aviation Terrorism: From Hijackings to Rescues

In light of a recent attempted hijacking of a Flydubai plane, Israel's aviation history reveals a consistent pattern of security threats, though only one successful hijacking of an Israeli aircraft has occurred since the state's inception. This single successful hijacking was El Al Flight 426 from Rome to Tel Aviv on July 23, 1968, by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The hijackers forced the plane to land in Algeria, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. After 39 days, 12 Israeli men, including crew and passengers, were released in exchange for 24 Palestinian militants. This event led to the implementation of strict security measures and the deployment of armed Shin Bet agents on Israeli flights.

An attempted hijacking of El Al Flight 219 from Amsterdam to New York on September 6, 1970, was thwarted. PFLP operatives Leila Khaled and Patrick Argelo attempted to breach the cockpit, but the pilot, Uri Bar-Lev, performed a sudden dive, disorienting the attackers. Onboard Shin Bet agents and passengers subdued Argelo, killing him, and captured Khaled. The plane landed safely in London.

Another significant event, though not involving an Israeli plane, was the hijacking of a Belgian Sabena flight to Lod on May 8, 1972. Palestinian militants from Black September seized the aircraft en route from Brussels to Tel Aviv and landed it at Ben Gurion Airport, threatening to blow it up unless hundreds of prisoners were released. In Operation Isotope, led by Ehud Barak and involving Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli commandos disguised as technicians stormed the plane, killing two militants and capturing two others, rescuing the hostages.

Internationally, the hijacking of Air France Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris on June 27, 1976, became a symbol of the struggle against terrorism targeting Israelis. After a stopover in Athens, the plane was diverted to Entebbe, Uganda. The hijackers released non-Israeli passengers but kept around 105 Israeli and Jewish passengers, along with the French crew who chose to stay. The hostages were rescued in Operation Thunder, later known as Operation Entebbe, by Israeli forces. The operation resulted in the death of Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan Netanyahu, commander of the Sayeret Matkal special forces unit.