Entebbe hero went in a Zionist, but came out a Jew

JORDAN MOSHE

Last week, Sherman concluded a three-week visit to South Africa to tell his story. The son of Holocaust survivors and a native of Kibbutz Lehavot Habashan received a spellbound reception at every venue he spoke at in Joburg, Durban, and Cape Town.

“I always wonder why people want to hear a story which they know from beginning to end,” Sherman told the audience at Sydenham Shul on 20 February. “People have seen so many movies about it, read books and more. I wonder what brought me here to Johannesburg?

“I promise you one thing, it’s not me. This story contains one of the most important things – the connection between Israel and the diaspora. Without you, the story would be different. Israel would be weaker. I understood this connection only four years ago, and it was then that I decided to tell my story.”

On 27 June 1976, the 23-year-old kibbutznik was operations officer of the Sayeret Matkal commando unit. He had spent a weekend at home, and was returning to base when he learned that an Air France plane had been hijacked by four terrorists. A total of 248 passengers were on board (of which 106 were Jews), as were 12 crew members.

Sherman said that Israel believed that the flight would be routed to Tel Aviv, but quickly realised that it was being diverted to Africa. Two days later, the terrorists made their demand: release 53 incarcerated terrorists, pay a ransom of $2.5 million (R40 million), and deliver both by Thursday, 2 July, or risk execution of the hostages.

After landing in Entebbe, the terrorists separated the Jewish and non-Jewish passengers, the latter being released and collected by French aircraft. The 12-member crew opted to remain behind with the Jewish passengers who were held in the old airport terminal. A furious debate erupted inside the Israeli cabinet about what, if any, action to take.

“Wednesday arrived, and there was only 12 hours until the passing of the ultimatum,” said Sherman. “There were demonstrations in the streets of Tel Aviv for the first time since the war of 1973, and it looked like Israel would have to reconsider its stance of not negotiating with terrorists.”

A debate raged between three Israeli personalities. Chief of Staff Motta Gur was opposed to any action on the grounds that Israel simply didn’t have the capacity for it. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin wanted to give in to the demands if no military action was taken, and Defence Minister Shimon Peres was determined to engage the terrorists in combat. Israel bought some time by announcing that it would negotiate with the terrorists, but secretly resolved to mobilise the army. It had 42 hours to make it happen.

Said Sherman, “The order came for 240 soldiers to head to Tel Aviv. We were told on Thursday night that it was up to us to free the hostages from the old terminal at Entebbe.”

“There was no Plan B. Still, we were confident that we could rescue most of the hostages and bring them home safely.”

And so it was that after initial intelligence was gathered by an undercover Mossad pilot, preparations were made. Behind locked gates at a military base, Sherman and the other soldiers learned that they would take the terrorists by surprise, arriving at the terminal using a Mercedes convoy made to resemble that of Ugandan President Idi Amin. Such cover would not arouse suspicion, as Amin had previously visited the hostages in this fashion.

“The Mossad sent soldiers to a garage in Tel Aviv to find a car,” recounted Sherman. “They opened the gate to find an old, white Mercedes [Amin’s was black], an engine that hardly worked, and no wheels.” Fortunately, a workshop with the necessary parts on hand was found, the vehicle was painted, and made ready for transport.

At 13:00 on that Saturday, three Hercules jets were loaded with eight cars – two Land Rovers, four light armoured vehicles, an old Peugeot, and the Mercedes – four paramedics, 40 airmen, a five-member refuel team, and 180 soldiers. Sherman remembers an incredibly uncomfortable flight, one pervaded by a sense of doubt about the eventual success of the mission.

Sherman was in the first Hercules to land, and with 33 others, scrambled into a jeep behind the Mercedes. He said, “I remember thinking to myself that it was beautiful night to be in Africa. It felt like a dream, until I suddenly felt that we were heading for a catastrophe.”

Announcing their presence in three languages to the hostages, the soldiers stormed the terminal. Sherman’s team was responsible for firing at the control tower to stop gunfire from Ugandan soldiers stationed inside. A gunfight ensued (during which Yonatan Netanyahu, brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was critically wounded) as the Israelis pressed onto the building and reached the hostages.

“It took seven minutes,” said Sherman. “The terrorists were killed, as were 20 Ugandan soldiers.” Unfortunately, three of the hostages also died in the crossfire. Sherman took Netanyahu to the plane, but it proved too late to save him.

Sherman described a strange sensation as he led the hostages to the Hercules. “I was the son of Holocaust survivors leading fellow Jews to safety,” he said. “My family had been murdered in Poland, and here were Jews walking out in a march of freedom. I was proud.”

Fifty two minutes after arrival, the three jets took off from Uganda, returning to Israel via Nairobi. The operation was celebrated in Israel, condemned by the United Nations and Uganda, and taught Sherman a valuable lesson.

“I flew to Entebbe as a staunch Zionist Israeli, and I flew back as a Jew, but it took me 40 years to understand that,” he said.

“The operation taught me about the connection between world Jewry and Israel. If there was no connection, I wouldn’t have been sent to Entebbe, nor would Israel have rescued Jews from Ethiopia in later years. The Entebbe story illustrates our unique and continuing bond.”