Changes

==Raid planning==

==Raid planning==

The woman released at Benghazi was actually an Israeli, known only as Patricia, travelling on a [[Britain|British]] passport, and had caused herself a deliberate injury to fake her miscarriage. [[Mossad]] immediately sent agents to [[London]] to interview her, gaining important information about the terrorists.<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir, Sharon''' ''Special: Mossad took photos, Entebbe Operation was on its way'' [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3269662,00.html Y Net News] Accessed July 3, 2007</ref> [[Ehud Barak]], at the time the Colonel and assistant to the head of intelligence for research and special operations, had spent four months in Uganda and was able to give valuable intelligence about the capabilities of the Ugandan troops guarding the airport. The intelligence gathering was also greatly assisted by the fact that Entebbe airport had been built by an Israeli construction company who still kept the blueprints in Israel.<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir''' op cit</ref> One of the most daring stages of the intelligence gathering involved an unnamed Mossad agent who flew from London to [[Nairobi]] in [[Kenya]]. "At Nairobi, he rented a light airplane, flew to Entebbe, and then informed the control tower he had a technical malfunction and had to perform some aerial roundabouts in the air. The Ugandans did not suspect a thing, despite the hijack drama that was unfolding at the airport. The Mossad operative made a couple of rounds and photographed the  airport and terminal. Afterwards he told the control tower that he could not land, went back to Nairobi and sent the photos to Israel.<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir''' op cit</ref> The photos arrived only a few hours before the Israeli

The woman released at Benghazi was actually an Israeli, known only as Patricia, travelling on a [[Britain|British]] passport, and had caused herself a deliberate injury to fake her miscarriage. [[Mossad]] immediately sent agents to [[London]] to interview her, gaining important information about the terrorists.<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir, Sharon''' ''Special: Mossad took photos, Entebbe Operation was on its way'' [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3269662,00.html Y Net News] Accessed July 3, 2007</ref> [[Ehud Barak]], at the time the Colonel and assistant to the head of intelligence for research and special operations, had spent four months in Uganda and was able to give valuable intelligence about the capabilities of the Ugandan troops guarding the airport. The intelligence gathering was also greatly assisted by the fact that Entebbe airport had been built by an Israeli construction company who still kept the blueprints in Israel.<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir''' op cit</ref> One of the most daring stages of the intelligence gathering involved an unnamed Mossad agent who flew from London to [[Nairobi]] in [[Kenya]]. {{QuoteBox|At Nairobi, he rented a light airplane, flew to Entebbe, and then informed the control tower he had a technical malfunction and had to perform some aerial roundabouts in the air. The Ugandans did not suspect a thing, despite the hijack drama that was unfolding at the airport. The Mossad operative made a couple of rounds and photographed the  airport and terminal. Afterwards he told the control tower that he could not land, went back to Nairobi and sent the photos to Israel.<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir''' op cit</ref>}} The photos arrived only a few hours before the Israeli [[commando]] unit took off to commence the rescue.

[[commando]] unit took off to commence the rescue.

''Sayeret Matkal'' had been placed on alert within an hour of the hijacking and assembled at Lod Airport in Israel. Israel's Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, convened an emergency meeting of his ministers, including the IDF Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, who reported that the IDF had no viable plan to rescue the hostages. Uganda was 2,360 miles away, the airline was a French company, and only 1/3 of the passengers were Jewish. Idi Amin was not seeking the release of the hostages and was actually collaborating with the terrorists,<ref>'''Williams, Louis''' ''Entebbe Diary'' [http://groups.msn.com/Israelplace/operationentebbe.msnw Israel Place] Accessed July 3, 2007</ref> which ruled out an early plan requiring commandos to rescue the hostages and then surrender to Ugandan soldiers. To buy time, on July 1 the Israeli government agreed to release their prisoners.  

''Sayeret Matkal'' had been placed on alert within an hour of the hijacking and assembled at Lod Airport in Israel. Israel's Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, convened an emergency meeting of his ministers, including the IDF Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, who reported that the IDF had no viable plan to rescue the hostages. Uganda was 2,360 miles away, the airline was a French company, and only 1/3 of the passengers were Jewish. Idi Amin was not seeking the release of the hostages and was actually collaborating with the terrorists,<ref>'''Williams, Louis''' ''Entebbe Diary'' [http://groups.msn.com/Israelplace/operationentebbe.msnw Israel Place] Accessed July 3, 2007</ref> which ruled out an early plan requiring commandos to rescue the hostages and then surrender to Ugandan soldiers. To buy time, on July 1 the Israeli government agreed to release their prisoners.  

Earlier that day, the PFLP terrorists had released 100 hostages, leaving only the Jewish passengers of the aircraft and the French flight crew (who refused to leave.) Upon receiving word that Israel had agreed to the exchange, the terrorist moved the day of execution back, to July 4. '''Major Muki Betser''' says of this: "The hijackers made a grave mistake – and separated the Israelis and the gentiles... Among the hostages that were released there was also a Jewish French officer, with a phenomenal memory, who provided us with the complete picture. We showed him the blueprints of the airport, and from him we learned where the hostages were being kept, how many terrorists were on the ground, if they were worried by the prospects of a military operation, and what was the ratio between them and the Ugandans. We realized that they were not concerned at all by [the prospect of a] military operation... We understood from him that the terrorists were relaxed and confident in their success. We learned that everything was planned in advance and Idi Amin was kept informed."<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir''' op cit.</ref> By July 2, a plan had been formulated, involving flying a rescue force to Entebbe, overcoming the Ugandan troops and terrorists, and then flying out to Kenya.  

Earlier that day, the PFLP terrorists had released 100 hostages, leaving only the Jewish passengers of the aircraft and the French flight crew (who refused to leave.) Upon receiving word that Israel had agreed to the exchange, the terrorist moved the day of execution back, to July 4. '''Major Muki Betser''' says of this:  

{{QuoteBox|The hijackers made a grave mistake – and separated the Israelis and the gentiles... Among the hostages that were released there was also a Jewish French officer, with a phenomenal memory, who provided us with the complete picture. We showed him the blueprints of the airport, and from him we learned where the hostages were being kept, how many terrorists were on the ground, if they were worried by the prospects of a military operation, and what was the ratio between them and the Ugandans. We realized that they were not concerned at all by [the prospect of a] military operation... We understood from him that the terrorists were relaxed and confident in their success. We learned that everything was planned in advance and Idi Amin was kept informed."<ref>'''Roffe-Ofir''' op cit.</ref>}}

By July 2, a plan had been formulated, involving flying a rescue force to Entebbe, overcoming the Ugandan troops and terrorists, and then flying out to Kenya.  

A life size mock-up was built of the airport, and Sayeret Matkal began rehearsing the mission. Israeli Air Force C-130 crews began rehearsing landing their aircraft in complete darkness - the runway would not be lit on their arrival at Entebbe. Knowing that the aircraft could not be taxied right up to the hostage location, they acquired a Mercedes limousine which they intended to drive off the ramp of the C-130's, and, accompanied by Land Rovers, pass off as a Ugandan V.I.P. convoy. It would not fool the Ugandans for very long, but in the confusion it was hoped it would give the commandos enough time to maintain the element of surprise. The Mercedes they acquired was white, so they painted it black to look more like Amin's own limousine.  

A life size mock-up was built of the airport, and Sayeret Matkal began rehearsing the mission. Israeli Air Force C-130 crews began rehearsing landing their aircraft in complete darkness - the runway would not be lit on their arrival at Entebbe. Knowing that the aircraft could not be taxied right up to the hostage location, they acquired a Mercedes limousine which they intended to drive off the ramp of the C-130's, and, accompanied by Land Rovers, pass off as a Ugandan V.I.P. convoy. It would not fool the Ugandans for very long, but in the confusion it was hoped it would give the commandos enough time to maintain the element of surprise. The Mercedes they acquired was white, so they painted it black to look more like Amin's own limousine.  

The mission required three C-130's to land at Entebbe, with a fourth flying with them in reserve, plus two Boeing 707's which would not be landing at Entebbe. One would serve as a passenger transport for the hostages once they reached Kenya, and the other was converted into a flying medical facility. The rescue force would consist of only 35 commandos, some drawn from the Paratroopers and the Golani Infantry brigade, and some essential support personnel.

The mission required three C-130's to land at Entebbe, with a fourth flying with them in reserve, plus two Boeing 707's which would not be landing at Entebbe. One would serve as a passenger transport for the hostages once they reached Kenya, and the other was converted into a flying medical facility. The rescue force would consist of only 35 commandos, some drawn from the Paratroopers and the Golani Infantry brigade, and some essential support personnel.

==The Mission==  

==The Mission==