Operation Entebbe: The Raid That Changed Everything

On June 27, 1976, German and Palestinian extremists (members of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine) hijacked an Air France flight and forced it to land in Uganda, where more than 100 Israeli and Jewish passengers were held at gunpoint by the terrorists, under the protection of Idi Amin, Uganda's brutal dictator. With a deadline ticking and every option carrying a body count, Israel faced an impossible choice: negotiate with terrorists or attempt the most audacious military rescue in history. This video tells the story of the operation which was codenamed Operation Thunderbolt, a 90-minute raid on Entebbe that saved 102 lives, cost the life of Israel's most celebrated young commander, and changed the way the world responds to terrorism.

Essential Questions

1. When, if ever, is military force justified to rescue hostages?
2. What does the Jewish principle of pidyon shvuyim (the redemption of captives) demand of a Jewish state?
3. What actions make someone, or a nation, a hero?

Big Ideas

1. Democracies must make difficult decisions to protect both their security for their citizens and their democratic values.
2. Both individuals and nations have responsibilities to one another, which influences national decision making.
3. Some events have long term impact and shape national identity and collective memory.