Today, Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement marking the 1976 Entebbe raid in which the Israeli army rescued 105 hostages held at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda by terrorists of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
“Operation Thunderbolt was a daring rescue mission the likes of which the world had never seen. Forty years ago, Israel sent a very clear and powerful message that no Jewish person is ever alone, no matter where they are, and that when in peril, Israel’s long arm of justice will always come to the rescue of its people. It’s worth remembering that the process used to separate Jewish passengers from non-Jewish passengers was eerily reminiscent of “selections” in the death camps of Nazi Germany. This heroic and magnificent military strike demonstrated the young country’s strength and determination to fight back against the evil of terrorism and a reminder that the Jewish struggle for liberation and for sovereignty did not end with the establishment of the state in 1948. We recall the words of then Israeli President Chaim Herzog who described the raid as “Israel’s shining hour . . . an operation that electrified the world’s imagination.” Likewise, it’s we should include the reaction of then U.S President Gerald Ford, “Our own Bicentennial Independence Day was enhanced by an event that day at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. That action of liberation freed our own hearts to fuller understanding of the universal meaning of independence—and the courageous action sometimes required to preserve it.” The sacrifices made by Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu and his fellow soldier who were killed during ‘Operation Thunderbolt’ and the amazing bravery exhibited by the commando unit, embody the indomitable will and spirit of Israel, as well as the imagination and courage of this remarkable nation. The legacy of this stunning episode of bravery for today’s generation is to strengthen the resolve of the international community to confront head on the threat of global terrorism and to defeat it, so as to protect the ideals of democracy and freedom that we so cherish”
The Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272 5677