On July 3, 1976, Israeli commandos executed one of the most daring hostage rescue missions in military history, an operation that remains a hallmark of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The raid, known as Operation Entebbe, aimed to free 102 hostages held by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) after the hijacking of an Air France Airbus A300.
The plane, en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, was hijacked during a stopover in Athens on June 27 by two PFLP members and two German militants associated with the Revolutionary Cells. The aircraft was then diverted to Libya and subsequently to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, where Ugandan dictator Idi Amin provided support to the hijackers.
Following the release of 148 non-Israeli hostages over several days, Israeli leaders faced mounting pressure to act as negotiations with the hijackers stalled. In response, Israel launched a covert military operation, deploying roughly 100 commandos over a flight distance of approximately 2,500 miles. The mission unfolded swiftly, with Israeli forces eliminating the hijackers and rescuing the hostages within about an hour.
Lieutenant Omer Bar-Lev, then 22 years old and a young commander in the operation, played a key role in securing the hostages’ extraction from the airport. Bar-Lev recalls the tension and rapid preparation, with only 40 hours’ notice before the raid commenced. Despite an initial plan to insert troops via Lake Victoria—later scrapped due to concerns about crocodiles—the operation was ultimately executed with precision transport landings. Bar-Lev’s father, Haim Bar-Lev, an experienced military leader and government minister at the time, was involved in the decision-making process.
The operation, however, came at a cost. Yonatan Netanyahu, commander of the assault unit and elder brother of Israel’s current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was the sole Israeli soldier killed during the raid. Additionally, one hostage later died in Ugandan custody when Dora Bloch, who had been hospitalized, was killed by Amin's forces.
Recently released classified documents shed new light on the raid, revealing that the Israeli government had not initially planned a military rescue and only resorted to it after negotiations broke down. The operation drew international criticism, particularly from Uganda and the Organisation of African Unity, which condemned it as a breach of Ugandan sovereignty.
Bar-Lev, now 72 and a former Minister of Public Security, reflects on the mission’s legacy as the 50th anniversary was marked this year. He emphasized the importance of responsibility and leadership, contrasting the past with the current political climate in Israel. Bar-Lev expressed concern over recent government actions, particularly following the October 7, 2023 attack, and advocated for political accountability ahead of Israel’s parliamentary elections in October 2026.
He also highlighted the ongoing complexity of Israel’s security challenges, citing tensions involving Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Syria. While acknowledging ideological differences with current adversaries, Bar-Lev stressed the necessity of engagement with groups like the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as a step toward peace, distinguishing them from terrorist organizations such as Hamas.
Despite political turmoil and a rise in antisemitism worldwide, Bar-Lev remains cautiously optimistic. He said he hopes to witness peace in his lifetime, recalling the enduring impacts of historical trauma on Israeli society.