Dubai Flight Scare Recalls 1976 Entebbe Rescue Operation

A dramatic incident aboard a Flydubai flight to Israel, where a co-pilot allegedly attempted to hijack the plane and crash it, has brought the infamous 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight and the subsequent Israeli rescue operation, known as Operation Entebbe, back into public consciousness. The Flydubai flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after passengers and crew subdued the suspect.

The original hijacking began in June 1976 when four terrorists, two Palestinians and two Germans, boarded Air France Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris in Athens, bringing weapons aboard. Shortly after departing Athens, they seized control of the aircraft with hundreds of passengers and crew. The plane was rerouted to Entebbe, Uganda, where three more terrorists joined them. The hostages were moved to an old airport terminal, where the hijackers separated passengers, releasing most foreigners while keeping Israelis and Jews.

The hijackers issued an ultimatum to Israel and other nations, demanding the release of 53 prisoners, 40 of whom were held in Israel, threatening to kill hostages if their demands were not met. While Israel negotiated and managed to delay the deadline, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) planned a daring rescue mission. The plan involved flying thousands of kilometers to Uganda, landing at night, and reaching the terminal to extract the hostages before they could be harmed.

On the night of July 3-4, 1976, the operation commenced. Four Hercules transport planes carrying elite Israeli commandos, including members of Sayeret Matkal, Paratroopers, and Golani brigades, departed Israel. The overall operation was commanded by Dan Shomron, with Yoni Netanyahu, older brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, leading the assault force. Upon landing in Entebbe, the commandos used a black Mercedes and jeeps, disguised as Ugandan President Idi Amin's motorcade, to approach the terminal. However, they encountered Ugandan soldiers, leading to an exchange of fire.

The commandos stormed the terminal, eliminating the terrorists. During the firefight, Yoni Netanyahu was killed. Despite this loss, the remaining forces completed the rescue, evacuating 102 hostages in under an hour. The operation, initially codenamed "Thunderbolt" and later renamed "Operation Jonathan" in Yoni Netanyahu's memory, resulted in the deaths of three hostages and Yoni Netanyahu. Another hostage, Dora Bloch, who had been transferred to a Ugandan hospital before the rescue, was later murdered by Ugandan authorities. Operation Entebbe remains one of the most famous rescue operations in IDF history.