I was the first soldier who landed at Entebbe airport. My job was to mark the runway and take over the new control tower. After we left Entebbe, I was informed that three of the hostages were killed in the operation. I thought about how fragile life was, and how we were willing to endanger ourselves and even sacrifice our lives for something so important. From a distance of 35 years, several insights come to mind. Another thing about the young soldiers: 18-year-olds are not children. They are the best fighters we have. My second insight is our moral obligation to reflect an exemplary society. Another insight related to Entebbe is that a few can do something for the good of the many. It was always like that, and, it seems, will always be like that. We will always need the spirit of Entebbe. The spirit of determination to do something for others, not just for ourselves. We will always need those daring individuals who jump ahead of the group. There will always be the few who take heroic measures for the sake of the public. I pray that those few, the pillars of fire who march before the camp, will draw many others, for which the wonderful Entebbe metaphor is a way of life. The writer is a reserve General who as a solider participated in the Entebbe operation.
Twenty five minutes later, Yoni Netanyahu (commander of the operation) was severely wounded, Hershko Sorin was also severely wounded, and 105 awe-struck hostages were on their way to Hercules (transport plane) number 4. The freed captives boarded the plane together with Golani brigade soldiers, and the airborne medical staff. I was the last to leave Entebbe, after hearing that Yoni didn't make it.
I have flashbacks of the last conversations we had. I remember the operation we participated in together deep inside Syria in April 1974. At the time, I commanded a paratrooper unit, and he was the officer of a tank unit that was assigned to work with us throughout that special operation.
First, about the young soldiers. Their job is not only to fight well, but to help the decision-makers stay calm. The government of Israel took upon itself a great responsibility when it gave the green light for us to move out to Entebbe. It was a 4,000 kilometer trip. The courage and confidence of Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, and Mordechai (Mota) Gur was based on their belief in our tremendous capabilities, the spirit of the young soldiers, the conversations they held with all those involved, and the training sessions before the operation began. The sense of capability that soldiers project to those in control of any operation is an important factor in its success.
We flew to Entebbe for one sole purpose - to rescue the hostages. The operation expressed our deepest values; our feelings of camaraderie with one another upon which we were raised. "He who saves one Jewish soul, it's as if he saved an entire world," and "You shall love your friend as you love yourself."
And the same spirit of obligation that brought us to Entebbe, must obligate us as well to help the weaker elements in our society, the "hostages" of our society. Although the operation is now a tale of the past, a story of one of the most daring rescues in history, we don't need to fly 4,000 kilometers to rescue the weaker people in our society, those who cannot fend for themselves, who were born into difficult situations, or due to accidents or illnesses live in institutions of rehabilitation, hostages of our society. For them we only need a series of brave social reforms and educational projects. We need advanced legislation and a rekindled spirit of volunteerism and help for the downtrodden. The strength of our society is measured by its weakest link. To be an exemplary society, we will need a few social Entebbes.
The Israeli spirit: 35 years since Entebbe
דורון אלמוג
אלוף (מיל׳), יו״ר הסוכנות היהודית