I was born on July 4. For most people, the date evokes American independence. For me, it has come to carry another meaning. On July 4, 1976, while the United States celebrated its Bicentennial, the rescued hostages of Operation Entebbe landed safely back in Israel. Two nations marked freedom on the same day, each in its own way. Fifty years later, that coincidence still has something to teach us.

The 50th anniversary of Operation Entebbe invites us to look beyond one of the most daring hostage rescue missions in modern history and to reflect on the enduring questions it raised: the responsibility of a state toward its citizens, the limits of action against terrorism, and the challenge of defending not only military decisions but also their legitimacy before the world.

After terrorists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), together with members of the German far-left group Revolutionäre Zellen, hijacked Air France Flight 139 and diverted it to Uganda, where dictator Idi Amin welcomed and supported them, Israel made a decision that would reshape the history of counterterrorism. An elite force flew more than 4,000 kilometers to Entebbe, rescued 102 hostages, and eliminated the hijackers. The operation came at a cost: three hostages were killed during the rescue, and Dora Bloch, who was hospitalized in Kampala, was later murdered by agents of Idi Amin’s regime. The only Israeli soldier killed was Lt.-Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, commander of the assault force, whose leadership became a lasting symbol of courage and commitment under extreme risk.

Entebbe was........

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