Entebbe
A police officer clears the way for rescued Air France hostages arriving in Tel Aviv after returning from Entebbe. (photo credit:MOSHE MILNER / GPO)

 

The IDF Archives released secret audio tapes that relate to the daring mission in which, 40 years ago on Monday, rescued 102 passengers held at Entebbe airport in Uganda by Palestinian and German terrorists.

The declassified tapes are the recording of a debriefing session conducted by the air force a day after the raid, when all of Israel was in euphoria and the world was astonished and admired the Israeli success.

Israel Air Force commander Maj.-Gen. Benny Peled is heard telling those in attendance that his superior, IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Motta Gur, had doubts about the mission plan and feared that landing unwelcome planes in a hostile airport in the middle of the night would be too dangerous and probably “mission impossible.”

“He [Gur] had a negative view,” Peled said.

Although the tapes are now in the public domain, none of the information is new.

“The Entebbe operation doesn’t conceal any more secrets,” Col. Muki Betser told The Jerusalem Post.

“He [Gur] had a negative view,” Peled said.

Although the tapes are now in the public domain, none of the information is new.

“The Entebbe operation doesn’t conceal any more secrets,” Col. Muki Betser told The Jerusalem Post.

As reported by The Jerusalem Post