Operation Thunderbolt, later renamed Operation Yonatan after the mission’s daring leader, Yoni Netanyahu, has taken on a mythical status in Israel’s public memory. Israel took on a colossal risk by sending special forces to Uganda to save Jewish people who were aboard a hijacked Air France flight before taken hostage by terrorists and held in Uganda. The mission was a great success with the various majority of the hostages emerging from this nightmare. Israelis and Jews celebrated throughout the world, and the world looked on with astonishment with the achievement of the Israeli military. Three questions stick out from this event. Are there circumstances when we should negotiate with terrorists or no? Who deserves credit for this daring operation, and does it even matter? Should the State of Israel be responsible for the safety of Jews around the world?
