Israels raid on entebbe was almost a disaster the daring hostage rescue was a pr coup but 40 years on, new scholarship reveals how it was almost sunk by infighting and blunders. On a lake victoria peninsula, approximately 37 kilometres 23 mi southwest of the ugandan capital, kampala, it was once the seat of government for the protectorate of uganda prior to independence, in 1962. This claim can be found in historical research, in official idf accounts, and in hollywood movies such as victory at entebbe 1976 and raid on entebbe 1977. Forty years ago, the israeli government took a huge calculated risk when it flew 200 commandos more than 2,000 miles to entebbe airport in uganda where. The portrayal of prime minister yitzhak rabin was peter finchs final performance. The mission was later renamed operation jonathan in honor of yonatan netanyahu. For 40 years, this episode stuck with us like a bone in our throats. Israelis jubilant as amin laments from the guardian. Raid on entebbe television film by kershner 1977 britannica. Yoni netanyahu, who died in the raid on entebbe airport, july 1976.
On june 27, 1976, a jet carrying an international mix of passengers is hijacked by propalestinian revolutionaries. The portrayal of prime minister yitzhak rabin was peter finch s final performance. The hijackers landed the plane at benghazi, libya and flew it from there to entebbe in uganda, where all nonjewish. A plan was formulated and an israeli commando unit did a most daring raid on entebbe and freed the hostages killing all of the palestinian terrorists and bringing the people back to israel. The israeli special forces operation at entebbe goes down in history as one of the most audacious counterterrorist assaults ever conducted. Israeli commandos free hostages from terrorists in 1976 uganda. Operation entebbe and the freeing of hostages at entebbe airport in entebbe, uganda, on july 4. Entebbe raid, july 3 4, 1976, rescue by an israeli commando squad of 103 hostages from a french jet airliner hijacked en route from israel to france. A plan was formulated and an israeli commando unit did a most daring raid on entebbe and freed the hostages killing all of the palestinian terrorists and.
On june 27, 1976, a jet carrying an international mix of passengers is hijacked by. For jews outside philadelphia, his death in the entebbe raid made yoni netanyahu a household name and a zionist poster child. Raid on entebbe internet movie firearms database guns in. Flight 9 and the raid on entebbe airport the most audacious hostage. The israel knesset worked with the military chiefs to create a plan to rescue the hostages and bring their people home to israel. Mar 17, 2018 the entebbe rescue has actually been depicted several times on screen, with a pair of 1970as tv movies victory at entebbe and the more famous raid on entebbe starring charles bronson. Apr 22, 2015 ost operation thunderbolt jonathan the raid at entebbe 1977. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Starring daniel bruhl, rosamund pike, eddie marsan, denis menochet, ben schnetzer and lior ashkenazi. The original raid on entebbe that came out as a tv special was very. Peter finch, charles bronson, yaphet kotto, martin balsam, horst buchholz.
A fourth film, entebbe titled 7 days in entebbe in the u. Minutes later, it is hijacked by two palestinians from the popular front for the liberation of. The entebbe raid was part of the ongoing arabisraeli conflict, which occurred on july 4, 1976, when the israeli sayeret matkal commandos landed at entebbe in uganda. The class act that was raid on entebbe 1977 didnt go unnoticed. Directed by 1 writing credits 1 cast 57 produced by 3 music by 1 cinematography by 1 film editing by 3 production design by 1 art direction by 1 set decoration by 1 costume design by 1 makeup department 2. Entebbe, uganda israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is planning a.
Raid on entebbe 1977 in this dramatization, members of the revolutionary cells and the popular front for the liberation of palestine hijack an air france flight, and the airplane makes its way. Ost operation thunderbolt jonathan the raid at entebbe. It was in june 1976 that an air france plane carrying 244 passengers and a crew of 12 on a flight from athens to paris was hijacked by terrorists who frced the captain to alter course and eventually land at. In the week before the raid, israel tried using political avenues to obtain the. Raid on entebbe cast and crew cast photos and info. Israeli commandos raid ugandas airport in 1976 to free hostages from palestinianterrorist hijackers. At about 0100 local time 2200gmt, ugandan soldiers and the hijackers were taken completely by surprise when three hercules transport planes landed after a 2,500mile trip. Entebbe airport was the scene of a hostage situation and a rescue operation ending on 4 july 1976, when soldiers from the sayeret matkal, paratroopers brigade and golani brigade units of the israeli army freed over 100 hostages following a hijacking by a group of palestinian and german militia.
The hijackers landed the plane at benghazi, libya and flew it from. It was in june 1976 that an air france plane carrying 244 passengers and a crew of 12 on a flight from athens to paris was hijacked by terrorists who frced the captain to alter course and eventually land at ugandas entebbe airport. Over 200 passengers on an air france flight are held hostage over seven days in the summer of 1976. Raid on entebbe internet movie firearms database guns. On 4 july 1976, the day the us celebrated its 200th birthday, an israeli.
Directed by 1 writing credits 1 cast 57 produced by 3 music by 1 cinematography by 1 film editing by 3. The entebbe rescue operation jewish virtual library. It is also the 35th anniversary of the israeli raid on entebbe, july 4, 1976, in which the idf planned and carried out one of the most audacious, innovative, and courageous rescue operations in military history. Sep 22, 2009 the israeli special forces operation at entebbe goes down in history as one of the most audacious counterterrorist assaults ever conducted. Based on a true military operation by israeli commandos. Israels raid on entebbe was almost a disaster telegraph. An air france airplane was hijacked on 27 june 1976.
A week earlier, on 27 june, an air france airbus a300 jet airliner with 248 passengers had been hijacked by two members of the popular. Operation entebbe or operation thunderbolt was a successful counterterrorist hostagerescue mission carried out by commandos of the israel defense forces idf at entebbe airport in uganda on 4 july 1976. With peter finch, charles bronson, yaphet kotto, martin balsam. A week earlier, on 27 june, an air france plane with 248 passengers was hijacked, by members of the popular front for the liberation of palestine and the german revolutionary cells, and flown to entebbe, the main airport of. The movie then shows how less than 500 soldiers actually flew so far and rescued the passengers in one of the most successful military operations in history. Israelis rescue entebbe hostages israeli commandos have rescued 100 hostages, mostly israelis or jews, held by propalestinian hijackers at entebbe airport in uganda. Apr 03, 2009 a brief look at israels rescue of hostages from uganda, includes digital reenactment. The year of the operation, 1976, was the year of yoni, when. Battle summary and timeline on june 27, air france flight 9 departed tel aviv for paris with a stop in athens. A brief look at israels rescue of hostages from uganda, includes digital reenactment. Israeli commandos raid ugandas airport in 1976 to free hostages from.
On june 27 th, an air france aircraft was hijacked by palestinian and german terrorists. Many of the hostages were later released but 106 israelis and jews were still held. Raid on entebbe there isnt a scriptwriter alive who could have invented a more exciting story. Daniel bruhl and rosamund pike in 7 days in entebbe. Isaacs, with aharon ipale, rene assa, billy sands, at turner classic movies. The plane lands at entebbe in uganda, then under the rule of idi amin, and the israeli. Situation critical s01e09 entebbe hostage rescue youtube. Movie music by composer jerry goldsmith, david shire. Operation entebbe was a rescue mission performed by several idf units in uganda 4,000 kilometers from israel on july 4 th 1976, for the liberation of 98 jewish and israeli hostages. Nbcs 1977 raid on entebbe stuns with intensity, power and veracity, a testament to valor, righteousness, overwhelming belief in their goal. Raid on entebbe 1976 charles bronson and jack warden in raid on.
Overview of raid on entebbe, 1977, directed by bud s. The other two, raid on entebbe 1977 and operation thunderbolt 1977 soon followed. Morituri raid on entebbe soundtrack from 1965, 1977, composed by jerry goldsmith, david shire. The palestinian freedom fighters wanted the release of prisoners held in israel and four other countries. The movie then shows how less than 500 soldiers actually flew so far and rescued the passengers in one of the most successful.
Find out about the raid on entebbe and the results of the operation entebbe in uganda with these 10 surprising facts. Israeli commandos rescued 100 hostages held for a week by hijackers at entebbe airport in uganda. Uganda and kenya this summer to mark 40 years since the july 4, 1976, entebbe raid. At entebbe, with the relatives of two who never made it. At entebbe, with the relatives of two who never made it back home for most of the hostages, the legendary raid in 1976 constituted a miraculous ending. Perhaps netanyahu shall spare time in his schedule to visit them, especially. Raid on entebbe 1977 cast and crew in this dramatization, members of the revolutionary cells and the popular front for the liberation of palestine hijack an air france flight, and the airplane. Raid on entebbe is a 1977 television film directed by irvin kershner the empire strikes back based on the true story of the israeli commando mission to liberate the hostages at the entebbe airport in kampala, uganda, on july 4, 1976. A week earlier, on 27 june, an air france plane with 248 passengers had been hijacked by two members of the popular front for the liberation of palestine external operations pflpeo under orders of wadie haddad who had. To the jihadists america is the big satan and israel is the little satan.
Raid on entebbe cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. At 140 minutes, the film moves at an unusually speedy pace. The rescue mission was pulled off successfully, with all but four of the passengers surviving. Jul 23, 2015 forty years ago, the israeli government took a huge calculated risk when it flew 200 commandos more than 2,000 miles to entebbe airport in uganda where propalestinian terrorists were holding more. Jun 25, 2016 entebbe would become a byword for military daring, the subject of three blockbuster movies, taught and studied by armies around the world including by the architects of the raid that captured. Raid on entebbe constitutes one of two allstar madefortv reenactments of the entebbe rescue of july 4, 1976. Starring peter finch, charles bronson, martin balsam, yaphet kotto, jack warden, horst buchholz, john saxon, sylvia sidney, robert loggia and.
For most of the hostages, the legendary raid in 1976 constituted a miraculous ending. Operation entebbe and the freeing of hostages at entebbe airport in entebbe, uganda, on july 4, 1976. In 1976 an air france plane hijacked by palestinian ad german terrorist was rescued by the israel defense forces idf at entebbe airport in uganda on operation entebbe later renamed operation. The erotic thriller eyes of laura mars 1978 would develop a minor cult following. Israeli pm to visit africa for operation thunderbolt anniversary. Operation entebbe simple english wikipedia, the free. Operation entebbe or operation thunderbolt was a successful counterterrorist hostage rescue mission carried out by commandos of the israel defense forces idf at entebbe airport in uganda on 4 july 1976. Ost operation thunderbolt jonathan the raid at entebbe 1977. Entebbe is the location of entebbe international airport, ugandas largest commercial and military airport, best known for the dramatic rescue of 100. True story of a daring israeli commando assault on the entebbe airport in. Operation entebbe, also known as operation jonathan, was an israeli hostage rescue mission. Morituri raid on entebbe soundtrack cd details and availability. The film stars charles bronson, horst buchholz, peter finch, james woods, and yaphet kotto as uganda president idi amin. Raid on entebbe is a 1977 nbc television film directed by irvin kershner.