alternatehistory.com

In 1976, an Air France airplane carrying 250 passengers to Paris from Tel Aviv was hijacked by terrorists. The Israeli mission to rescue them, known as Operation Entebbe or Operation Thunderbolt. Israel’s government, led by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, launched a secret mission to rescue the hostages without engaging in negotiation. The rescue mission was pulled off successfully, with all but four of the passengers surviving.

The myth is that the mission was amazingly, brilliantly planned and perfectly executed by the special forces. But in fact, the mission almost failed with the decision to shoot at the Ugandan guards as the Israeli rescue team was approaching the building. Prior to this decision, one of the planes almost crashed, while landing at the airport.

The raid was successfully conducted thanks to one of the freed hostage, a french soldier of jewish origins who had a hypermnesic memory. He was able to provide precious informations on the terrorists, the building and their weapons.

What if this daring raid failed or led to a war between Kenya and Uganda?
Top