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Israel declassifies Entebbe raid documents on eve of 50th anniversary
Euronews.com • • world
Key Points:
- Israel has declassified secret documents detailing the decision-making process behind the 1976 Entebbe raid, releasing them ahead of the operation's 50th anniversary amid ongoing hostage crises following the 2023 Hamas attacks.
- The Entebbe raid involved Israeli commandos rescuing hostages from Palestinian and West German militants who hijacked an Air France flight, with nearly all hostages saved and all hijackers killed in a swift military operation.
- The newly released files reveal that Israel initially ruled out negotiations but later engaged in talks while covertly preparing the rescue mission, deciding to proceed militarily only after negotiations stalled and confidence in the operation increased.
- The raid faced international criticism for violating Ugandan sovereignty, but Israel viewed it as a significant success following the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage tragedy, with then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin acknowledging terrorism remained an ongoing challenge.
