Entebbe memories at JNF
The crowd-pulling power of Shaul Mofaz delivered in spades for JNF NSW at its annual dinner last week, held in support of the growing community of Ofakim in Israel’s strategically vital Negev region.
THE crowd-pulling power of Shaul Mofaz delivered in spades for JNF NSW at its annual dinner last week, held in support of the growing community of Ofakim in Israel’s strategically vital Negev region.
The former IDF chief, defence minister and deputy prime minister, kept his audience of more than 750 at Randwick Racecourse in the palm of his hand, sharing gripping details of serving as deputy commander of Operation Entebbe on July 4, 1976.
After 90 minutes of calculated mayhem in the dead of night on a Ugandan runway, the daring mission resulted in the rescue of 92 Israelis, two Jewish Americans and 12 crew members taken hostage on an Air France flight hijacked by -pro-Palestinian terrorists.
But there was a price; four hostages were killed and the leader of the Israeli commandos, Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan Netanyahu died during a fierce gun battle.
“Overnight, Entebbe proved dramatically to the people of Israel, and to the entire world, that no distance is too great and no operation is too complicated, to protect our people,” Mofaz said.
“We had no active escape plan and we were running out of time.
“When we left Israel, the government hadn’t yet approved the mission, and if it was to be aborted, we’d have to turn back before we reached the halfway point so there would be enough fuel to fly home.
“[Prime minister] Yitzhak Rabin prepared a resignation letter to use if, God forbid, the operation would fail – in doing so he showed courageous leadership.
“When the answer came over the speakers that the mission was on, suddenly there was complete silence.
“I knew that every soldier would give up his life for me as I would for him. Therefore I concentrated on one thing only – that the operation would succeed.”
Mofaz then reflected on his trip back to the Entebbe runway earlier this year.
“This time, the Ugandan military secured the area for the Prime Minister of Israel [Benjamin Netanyahu] and the commanders of the operation.
“The tower where Yonatan was killed was still there, with all the gunshot holes from 40 years ago.
“I knew one thing quite clearly – we would do it again if, God forbid, there is a need.”
Mofaz said when he last visited Ofakim, he left the Negev town “feeling the energy and optimism of its people”.
“As far back as [David] Ben-Gurion, Israel has recognised that the Negev is our future.
“JNF Australia has always demonstrated its dedication to one simple truth, that Israel’s future is the responsibility of all Jews.
“So thank you – together we can move mountains.”
SHANE DESIATNIK
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