Amir Bar-Lev Reveals Untold Details of 1984 Bus Line 300 Hostage Crisis
On the night of March 12, 1984, three days before he was to assume command of an elite Israeli unit, Amir Bar-Lev was called to respond to a hostage situation involving Bus Line 300, hijacked near the Gaza Strip. Arriving at the chaotic scene near Deir al-Balah, Bar-Lev found a power struggle between units over control of the operation. He took charge of creating a calm operational space for the unit commander, Shai Avital, to focus on planning the assault.
Bar-Lev led the team tasked with firing the first shot during the hostage rescue, which involved a staged negotiation to approach the hijackers. The plan was for the lead officer to kill the main terrorist as a signal for the assault to begin. During the operation, Bar-Lev fired once at a figure jumping toward him inside the bus, but his weapon jammed. The assault resulted in the deaths of two terrorists, while two others were captured alive but later executed by Shin Bet agents, a fact unknown to the soldiers at the time.
One of the hostages killed was Irit Portugaz, a soldier who had served in intelligence and had chosen to stay with fellow hostages despite chances to escape. Bar-Lev reflects on the moral dilemmas faced during the operation, including sparing a subdued terrorist rather than killing him immediately, a decision influenced by past traumatic events.
Following the assault, Bar-Lev conducted internal investigations revealing severe abuse of the captured terrorists after they were handed over to Shin Bet. Despite sending detailed reports to the unit commander and the IDF Chief of Staff, no official response was received. Bar-Lev also faced rumors falsely accusing him of killing Portugaz, which were dispelled by evidence and a call from then-head of military intelligence Ehud Barak.
Upon taking command on April 15, 1984, Bar-Lev implemented strict organizational reforms, emphasizing discipline, clear communication, and operational readiness, including mandatory participation in a half-marathon for all unit members. He also made tough decisions such as dismissing a sniper for poor performance during the operation and enforcing consequences for soldiers refusing orders. Bar-Lev’s leadership style focused on establishing a solid foundation to enable flexible and effective action in future missions.
