State Archives releases thousands of documents for Entebbe rescue's 50th anniversary

Fifty years after the daring Entebbe rescue, Israel's State Archives has unveiled a vast collection of documents offering an unprecedented look into the historic operation. Tens of thousands of files, including cabinet meeting minutes, security committee records, and even telephone conversations, are now public, detailing the tense days and difficult decisions that led to the liberation of Israeli hostages.

Michal Zeft, head of documentation and commemoration at the State Archives, described the collection as a "mosaic" that paints a complex picture of the operation. The documents reveal moments of hesitation, uncertainty, and the rigorous examination of various scenarios by decision-makers. They also highlight Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's efforts to control information, including a conversation with newspaper editors where he sought cooperation to protect the hostages' lives.

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Let us not deceive ourselves. This was an extraordinary operation and achievement. However, the problem is not over. Terrorism continues to operate. What further problems terrorism will place before us and what lessons we must still learn from this matter, it is too early to say. We finished one battle, but the war continues.

The operation, which took place on July 4, 1976, saw Israeli forces storm Entebbe Airport to rescue passengers from a hijacked Air France plane. The successful mission freed Israeli hostages and French pilots, though it came at a cost: four people, including Sayeret Matkal commander Lt.-Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, were killed, and several others were wounded.

Prime Minister Rabin, in a summary of the operation, acknowledged its extraordinary nature but cautioned that the fight against terrorism was far from over. His words, "We finished one battle, but the war continues," resonate as a stark reminder of the persistent threat that inspired the daring rescue.

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This was fascinating work, a mosaic of tens of thousands of documents creating a complex picture of an unprecedented historic operation. You see a human picture of decision makers, moments of hesitation, and long days of uncertainty and tension, which ended in a historic operation.