1. ‘tried to make a path’. Michel Goldberg, Namesake (1982, this paperback edition London, 1984), p. 102. After Entebbe, Michel Cojot reverted to his original Jewish surname Goldberg. His children mostly use the name Cojot-Goldberg.
2. ‘dismantled… the controls’. Ibid.
3. ‘pretty interesting’… ‘a pain in the arse’. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, 26 November 2013.
4. unscheduled stopover. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 102.
5. ‘Hey Dad’. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
6. ‘seemed to offer’… ‘service plus’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 102.
7. Ilan Hartuv… non-stop tickets. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, Tel Aviv, 9 October 2013.
8. ‘Let’s not go’. Yehuda Ofer, Operation Thunder: The Entebbe Raid–The Israelis’ Own Story (London, 1976), p. 2.
9. Other passengers… fly together. Author interview with Martine Mimouni-Arnold, Tel Aviv, 8 October 2013; Eyal Ben, ‘Entebbe’s unsung hero’, ynetnews.com, 29 April 2012.
10. ‘Quick’. Moshe Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, Zman Magazine, No. 126, July 2012, p. 128.
11. ‘After this’… ‘retired Americans’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 102–3.
12. Just after noon… squabbling children. Ibid., p. 103.
13. In their place… and Turkish. Telegram from US Ambassador to France to US Secretary of State, 1818hrs GMT, 3 July 1976, Declassified/Released US Department of State documents, www.aad.archives.gov/aad.
14. Among them… ten day cruise. Daily Express, 2 July 1976.
15. The Rabinowitzes… to ask. Author skype interview with Nancy Rabinowitz, 10 November 2014; Author skype interview with Peter Rabinowitz, 13 November 2014.
16. Claude Moufflet… in his briefcase. Claude Moufflet, Otages à Kampala (Paris, 1976, translated from French into English by Rachel Kenyon), p. 11.
17. ‘systematic’… let him continue. Ibid., pp. 11–12.
18. Four of Flight… moustache. Louis Williams, ‘Combined Operations: Entebbe’, in The Israeli Defense Forces: A People’s Army (New York, 1996), p. 121; Debrief of Mr Russell and Mr Good by British diplomat Michael Llewellyn-Smith, ‘British subjects in the Hi-jacking incident’, in a Letter from British Embassy in Paris to FCO, 2 July 1976, The National Archives (TNA), FCO 31/2056.
19. ‘nobody was on duty’. Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 121.
20. ‘through which’… ‘cool flight’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 12.
21. Ilan Hartuv… decided not to. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
22. ‘Arabs!’ Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, p. 128.
23. ‘Why would’. Lauren Gelfond Feldinger, ‘Through the Eyes of Hostages’, Jerusalem Post, 29 June 2006.
24. Meanwhile Claude. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 13.
25. ‘Dates for you’. Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, p. 129.
26. As if… Iraq. Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 1.
27. ‘aready busy’… flight deck. Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 121.
28. ‘Please don’t’. Interview with Michel Bacos, in Laly Derai, ‘I owe my life to the IDF’, Hamodia, No. 11, June 2011.
29. But the crisis… discourage him. Simon Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike: The Raid on Entebbe 1976 (Oxford, 2009), p. 11.
30. ‘a long-haired youth’… ‘trembling arms’. William Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe: The First Full Inside Story of Operation Thunderbolt (New York, 1976), p. 4.
31. ‘livid’… ‘Don’t move!’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 13–14.
32. ‘and saw’… flame. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 103.
33. ‘already thinking’… shock. Author interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
34. ‘Sitonzeflor!’ Goldberg, Namesake, p. 103.
35. ‘about 25’… ‘taken out’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 14-15.
36. ‘a short’… like a leaf. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 35.
37. ‘This plane’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 15.
38. ‘ripping off’. Feldinger, ‘Through the Eyes of Hostages’.
39. ‘never achieve’… ‘justice’. Bassam Abu-Sharif & Uzi Mahnaimi, Best of Enemies (New York, 1995), pp. 59-60.
40. ‘felt like’… ‘Master’. Ibid.
41. ‘from this’… captured. Ibid., pp. 64-5.
42. ‘made it very’… ‘Black September’. Ibid., pp. 88–9.
43. Number 1. Debrief of Mr Russell and Mr Good, op. cit.
44. ‘become a little’… hijacking together. ‘Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 17–20, 104; author telephone interview with Stépane Cojot-Goldberg, 16 January 2015.
45. ‘severe’ punishment… ‘not be harmed’. Nancy and Peter Rabinowitz, ‘Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe: The Paradoxes of Terror’, Syracuse Guide, October 1976, p. 17.
46. ‘pointed for’. Debrief of Mr Russell and Mr Good, op. cit.
47. ‘official-looking’… ‘serious for you’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 15–18.
48. pipe cleaner. Ibid., p. 18.
49. ‘beloved’… ‘Israeli vigilance’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 104.
50. ‘intimate parts’. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 4–5.
51. ‘special surgery’. Ofer, Operation Thunder, pp. 6–7.
52. ‘An Air France’. Yitzhak Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs (1979, this paperback edition Berkeley, California, 1996), p. 282; Yehuda Avner, The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership (New Milford, Connecticut, 2010), p. 303.
53. ‘Freuka’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 303.
54. ‘banged’… ‘another Sabena’. Ibid.
55. ‘windowless’… ‘meet you there’. Colonel Muki Betser, Secret Soldier: The Incredible True Story of Israel’s Greatest Commando (1996, this paperback edition London, 1997), pp. 289–90.
56. It was shortly… Egyptian territory. Ibid, pp. 25–75.
57. With the war over… expect to return. Ibid., pp. 117–32.
58. Arriving back… ‘other jobs’. Ibid., pp. 136–7.
59. The chance… another Ma’alot. Ibid., pp. 267–78.
60. Swerving through… Ben-Gurion. Ibid., pp. 290–1.
61. ‘until some’… ‘sit down’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 21.
62. ‘Here is’. Ibid., p. 22.
63. ‘allowing a glimpse’… ‘was gaping’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 105.
64. ‘no one ever’… her buttons. Ibid.
65. ‘Sit down’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 24.
66. ‘less like’… ‘toilet monitors’. Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz, ‘Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe’, p. 17.
67. ‘I didn’t ask’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 25.
68. Agnès and Maggy. They were not their real names but the pseudonyms given to them by Claude Moufflet to protect their identity in Moufflet’s autobiographical account of the hijacking, Otages à Kampala.
69. Short and chubby… photo identity. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 26-7.
70. ‘seconds to spare’. Interview with Sara Davidson, in Situation Critical: Assault on Entebbe, National Geographic Channel, 12 June 2007.
71. Mindful… ‘Israeli passports’. Interview with Claude and Emma Rosenkovitch, in Aviv Lavie, ‘Surviving the myth’, Haaretz, 31 July 2003.
72. reserve soldier. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 5.
73. ‘What will they do’… ‘don’t know’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 27.
74. ‘reduce tension’… ‘Palestinians’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 105.
75. ‘If Israel’. Lavie, ‘Surviving the myth’.
76. Twenty-two-year-old… was safe. Author interview with Martine Mimouni-Arnold, op. cit.
77. sweets and cakes. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 27–8.
78. ‘was a system’. Ibid., p. 28.
79. ‘Madam, you can’t’… ‘top of it?’ Ibid., pp. 28–9.
80. ‘Sit down please’. Ibid., pp. 29–30.
81. ‘Land it gently’. Interview with Michel Bacos, in Derai, ‘I owe my life to the IDF’.
82. ‘We knew’. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 36.
83. ‘arid landscape’. New York Times, 11 July 1976.
84. ‘read or spoke’… ‘government’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 31.
85. ‘welcoming committee’. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
86. ‘not without humour’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 106.
87. Arab Republic. Debrief of Mr Russell and Mr Good, op. cit.
88. ‘What the hell’. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
89. ‘to try landing’… Sinai Peninsula. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 291.
90. ‘preserved a deep’. Max Hastings, Yoni: Hero of Entebbe (1979), p. 22.
91. ‘natural leader’. Ibid., p. 24.
92. ‘I feel I belong’. Ibid., p. 26.
93. ‘physical toughness’… prize cadet. Ibid., pp. 37 and 46.
94. ‘shaggy young men’… ‘our existence’. Ibid., pp. 87-9.
95. ‘were a little’… ‘fighting commander’. Ibid., p. 99-100.
96. ‘began months’… ‘queue for hell?’ Ibid., p. 208.
97. ‘You need us?’… ‘Of course’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 291; Iddo Netanyahu, Entebbe: A Defining Moment in the War on Terrorism (Green Forest, Arkansas, 2003), p. 16.
98. ‘The only thing’… ‘demands will be’. Ben-Gurion. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 304.
99. ‘We are in deep’. ‘Operation Entebbe Protocols revealed’, Ynet Magazine, 11 May 2010, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3980051,00.html.
100. ‘full responsibility’… ‘the hijackers’. Shimon Peres, Battling for Peace: A Memoir (New York, 1995), pp. 152–3.
101. ‘any other women’… even teeth. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 31.
102. ‘Our parents’… ‘believe us’. Ibid., p. 32.
103. ‘Shouldn’t we’… ‘for the moment’. Ibid., pp. 33–5.
104. ‘It was tempting’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 106.
105. ‘hijacking, and landing’. Cipher telegram from Tony Crosland, Foreign Secretary, to British Embassy in Tripoli, 1459hrs GMT, No. 107 of 27 June 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/16.
106. His first couple… secretary of state. Kevin Jefferys, Anthony Crosland (1999), pp. 200–2.
107. ‘Grateful for any’. Cipher telegram from Crosland to British Embassy in Tripoli, 1459hrs GMT, No. 107 of 27 June 1976, op. cit.
108. ‘I had to get off’. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Mancunian on Board’, Jewish Telegraph Online, 2006, www.jewishtelegraph.com/enteb_2.html.
109. Her first thought. Patricia Martell in Cohen on the Bridge (2012), an award-winning animated short film documentary written and directed by Andrew Wainrib.
110. ‘screwed up’… ‘that important’. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Mancunian on Board’, op. cit.; Yeshayahu Ben-Porat, Eitan Haber and Zeev Schiff, Entebbe Rescue (New York, 1976; this paperback edition 1977), pp. 33–5.
111. ‘All of a sudden’. Author telephone-interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
112. ‘Good luck’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 106.
113. ‘I did not consider’… ‘regret’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 241.
114. ‘served the 1974-77’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 149.
115. Peres’s main priority… ‘negotiation and preparation’. Ibid., pp. 140 and 155.
116. ‘Air France Office’… 17 June. Cipher telegram from British Embassy in Athens to FCO, 1708hrs GMT, No. 296 of 27 June 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/16.
117. ‘keep in close’… ‘and aircraft’. Cipher telegram from FCO to British Embassies in Tripoli and Paris, 1845hrs GMT, No. 108 of 27 June 1976, ibid.
118. ‘keeping in close’… ‘Consulate there’. Cipher telegram from British Embassy in Tripoli to FCO, 1929hrs GMT, No. 147 of 27 June 1976, ibid.
119. ‘Sit down’… ‘severely punished’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 35–6.
120. ‘sitting on a hijacked’. Author telephone interview with Akiva Laxer, Tel Aviv, 10 October 2013.
121. Claude Moufflet… young Canadians. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 36.
122. ‘not bad’… ‘veritable animal’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 5–6.
123. An hour later… ‘local time’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 37.
124. ‘At long last’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 6.
125. Major Muki… chief of staff. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 292.
126. ‘a British subject’… ‘to do so’. Cipher telegram from British Embassy in Paris to FCO, 2012hrs GMT, No. 638 of 27 June 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913.
127. ‘Aircraft left’. Cipher telegram from British Embassy in Tripoli to FCO, 2036hrs GMT, No. 148 of 27 June 1976, ibid.
128. ‘well but still’. Ibid., 1014hrs GMT, No. 150 of 28 June 1976.
129. ‘pretty stupid’. Entebbe Thirty Years On: Mancunian On Board’, op. cit.
130. warm-hearted and jovial… bratwurst. Author skype interview with Gerd Schnepel (former boyfriend of Brigitte Kuhlmann and member of the Revolutionary Cells), 3 November 2013.
131. ‘in the student’… RC and RAF. Katharina Karcher, ‘Sisters in Arms? Female Participation in Leftist Political Violence in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1970’, unpublished PhD thesis, University of Warwick, 2013, pp. 227–8.
132. Another common… political change. Ibid., pp. 229–31.
133. ‘cruelties’. Author skype interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
134. ‘bustling organizational talent’. Karcher, ‘Sisters in Arms?’, pp. 231–2.
135. ‘You are not pretty’. Email from Gerd Schnepel to the author, 11 November 2013.
136. ‘moved within radical’… ‘resolute and honest’. Karcher, ‘Sisters in Arms?’, p. 233.
137. ‘friendly, caring’. Email from Gerd Schnepel to the author, 11 November 2013.
138. Kuhlmann… ‘“typical” behaviour’. Karcher, ‘Sisters in Arms?’, pp. 234–5.
139. The core beliefs… ‘mass movement’. Ibid., p. 57.
140. ‘underground’… ‘Feierabendterroristen’. Ibid., p. 237.
141. early terror attacks. Ibid., p. 58.
142. openly feminist agenda. Ibid., p. 221.
143. ‘strengthen the group’. Author skype interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
144. ‘There were a lot’. Ibid.
145. No one felt… free them. Ibid. Schnepel told me that Brigitte Kuhlmann ‘felt an obligation to participate in the freeing of political prisoners in Germany’ for personal reasons. She felt she had left Meinhof down.
146. The first joint… right-hand man. John Follain, Jackal: The Secret Wars of Carlos the Jackal (1998, this paperback edition London, 2004), pp. 65–7, 140–1.
147. With Weinrich… the country. Ibid., pp. 104–30.
148. ‘none of the’… ordered to go. Abu-Sharif and Mahnaimi, Best of Enemies, p. 164.
149. ‘plenty of fascists’… ‘failed to execute’. Ibid., pp. 164–5.
150. Khaled al-Khalili. Statement by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine regarding the Entebbe Airport incident in Uganda’, 4 July 1976, in TNA, FCO 93/914. There is much confusion over the exact identity of the seven terrorists killed at Entebbe. According to the PFLP’s own statement (above), the seven ‘martyrs’ were: ‘Haj Faiz Jaber’; ‘Adurrazaq Assamurai/Abu Addarda’; ‘Jabil Al’Arga’; ‘Khaled Al Khalili’; ‘Ali Al Ma’ati’; ‘Mahmood’ (Wilfried Böse); and ‘Halima’ (Brigitte Kuhlmann). See also the Conclusion to ‘Operation Yonatan (Operation Thunderbolt), 3–4 July 1976’, Confidential IDF Report, IDF & Defense Establishment Archives, Ministry of Defence, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, pp. 103–4 (translated by Karen Gilbert), which lists six terrorists with similar names (but not Jaber).
151. ‘We were told’… refused to answer. Author skype interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
152. ‘Here is the new’… any news. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 305.
153. ‘mean and full’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 39.
154. ‘a blond, chubby’… ‘diplomatic ties’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 106–7.
155. ‘Several of the soldiers’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 153.
156. ‘tapping at the airport map’… back to base. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 293.
1. The first that. Interview with Michel Bacos, in Derai, ‘I owe my life to the IDF’.
2. ‘chatting in low voices’… ‘your seatbelts’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 41; Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 24.
3. ‘fascinating’… approaching the plane. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 41–3.
4. ‘totally lost’… ‘a little bit’. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
5. ‘dumbfounded’… both his hands. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 107.
6. ‘interminable’… ‘shut up!’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 43.
7. ‘First the German’. Diary of Julie Oiserant [Aouzerate], in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 36.
8. ‘nearly illiterate’… ‘gang of thugs’. Henry Kyemba, A State of Blood: The Inside Story of Idi Amin (New York, 1977), p. 15.
9. ‘Who is this?’… ‘back to sleep’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, pp. 305–6.
10. ‘armed soldiers’… ‘surrounded’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 43–4.
11. ‘the savannah’… and Germans. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 107.
12. ‘the yellow-shirted’… Palestinian. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 24.
13. Just after 8 a.m.… Yasser Arafat. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 44–5.
14. ‘freely about’. Translation of interview with Michel Cojot in Le Monde, in a cipher telegram from Kissinger to the US Ambassador in London, 0057hrs GMT, 9 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/914.
15. ‘Amin was cooperating’. Author skype interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
16. ‘for a little breakfast’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 45.
17. ‘separated from the other’… ‘the pilots’. Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 23.
18. ‘They’re going to kill’… had left Athens. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 46–8.
19. ‘Idi Amin negotiating’. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 25.
20. ‘would be closely involved’… ‘emergency duty’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 166–7.
21. ‘to report’… IDF brass. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 154.
22. With breakfast cleared… ‘Palestinian enemies’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 51–3.
23. ‘to declare’… ‘imperialism everywhere’. Text of the PFLP Communiqué, Monday 28 June 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/9.
24. ‘rather good English’… ‘first round’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 107–8.
25. ‘only two’… game away. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 51–2.
26. ‘I’ll now tell you’. Ibid., p. 55.
27. ‘At least now’. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
28. ‘fighting for world’… ‘being killed’. Author telephone interview with Akiva Laxer, op. cit.
29. ‘President’… suspect the latter. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 295–6.
30. Just after one… ‘on this airline’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 58.
31. ‘there was a general’… ‘now over’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 108.
32. ‘On behalf’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 59.
33. Soon afterwards. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 25.
34. ‘very strange’… ‘under our control’. Ibid.; New York Times, 11 July 1976.
35. ‘We have arrived’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 118.
36. ‘We still don’t know’. Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 27.
37. ‘uncomfortable, well-worn’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 108.
38. Even then. Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz, ‘Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe’, p. 17.
39. ‘it wouldn’t get’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 61.
40. About 500 yards. New York Times, 11 July 1976.
41. ‘“the Peruvian”’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 109.
42. The Peruvian’s superior… over him. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 84–5; Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 59.
43. The last of the trio… ‘attacks abroad’. ‘Statement by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine regarding the Entebbe Airport incident in Uganda’, 4 July 1976, in TNA, FCO 93/914/17; Conclusion, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 103–4.
44. While Jaber… inspection hall. Section 7: Intelligence for the Operation, Chapter B: Battle Procedure for the Operation, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 18–35; Figure 7, The Old Terminal in Entebbe, ibid., p. 32.
45. The only other features. Figure 7, The Old Terminal in Entebbe, ibid., p. 32.
46. ‘Look at that!’… ‘shrieks and claps’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 61–3.
47. ‘A plane will arrive’. Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 36.
48. ‘refused permission’… ‘in Kampala’. Cipher telegram from High Commission in Kampala to FCO, 1200hrs GMT, No. 201 of 28 June 1976, TNA, FCO 47/845.
49. ‘to leave the aircraft’… ‘the drama’. Ibid., 1400hrs GMT, No. 202 of 28 June 1976.
50. Other cables. Cipher telegram from British Embassy in Athens to FCO, 1045hrs GMT, No. 298 of 28 June 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2054.
51. ‘she was not previously’. Cipher telegram from British Embassy in Tel Aviv to FCO, 0905hrs GMT, No. 196 of 28 June 1976, ibid.
52. ‘It’s a strange thing’… ‘operational plan’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 154; Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 124..
53. ‘withdrawn, bashful’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, pp. 6–7.
54. ‘a first but invaluable’… ‘with Israel’. Ibid., p. 274.
55. ‘away from events’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 109.
56. ‘It might be from giraffes’. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 25.
57. ‘many [of the hostages]’… ‘equator’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 109–10.
58. While they were eating… ‘permanent sulk’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 64–5.
59. There he got talking… Willy. ‘Gilles’ and ‘Willy’ are the pseudonyms used in Claude Moufflet’s book to hide their true identities.
60. Offering Moufflet… wooden bar. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 65–6.
61. ‘Everyone jumped’. Feldinger, ‘Through the Eyes of Hostages’.
62. ‘I don’t smoke’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 109.
63. ‘It is not easy’… ‘friendly territory’. Translation of interview with Michel Cojot in Le Monde, op. cit.
64. ‘officials from’… ‘few headaches’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 167–8.
65. ‘hurried and superficial’. Diary of Julie Oiserant [Aouzerate], in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 37–8.
66. ‘heart ailment’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 120.
67. ‘The troubles’… the answer. Ibid., pp. 120-2.
68. A tall, thickly built… the hostages. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 25–6.
69. ‘Shalom’. ‘Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 122; Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 69.
70. ‘shake his hand’… ‘that way’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 116.
71. ‘You are lucky’. New York Times, 11 July 1976.
72. Tall, blond… terrorists. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 128.
73. ‘private planning’. Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike, p. 139.
74. Born in Siberia… Egypt proper. ‘Rescue at Entebbe: An Interview with the Chief Pilot’, IDF Blog, 5 July 2012, www.idfblog.com/2012/07/05/rescue-at-entebbe-an-interview-with-the-chief-pilot/.
75. The chief advantages. Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike, p. 139.
76. Aware that… ‘their fears’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 110; Author skype interview with Nancy Rabinowitz, op. cit.
77. At 8 p.m. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 70.
78. ‘finally living’… ‘educate us’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 110–13.
79. ‘I was mistaken’… ‘Arab planes’. Yossi Melman, ‘Setting the record straight: Entebbe was not Auschwitz’, Haaretz, 8 July 2011.
80. ‘would not meddle’… in his stomach. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 111–15.
81. Cojot had changed… pyjamas. Author telephone interview with Stéphane Cojot-Goldberg, 25 November 2013.
82. ‘British officer’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 76.
83. ‘hot as hell’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 26.
84. ‘an old Jewish woman’… ‘was over’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 111.
1. It was barely… ‘not met’. New York Times, 11 July 1976; Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 26.
2. ‘anxiety’… ‘get out’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 26; Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 37.
3. ‘critical stage’… ‘We’ll cope’. Hastings, Yoni, pp. 216-18.
4. Yitzhak Rabin… been made. Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 124; Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 126.
5. ‘colour’ stories. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 154.
6. ‘Mr Begin’… a handshake. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 127; Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, op. cit., pp. 124-7.
7. Tormented by mosquitoes… ‘All inside!’ Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 127-9
8. ‘very vociferous’… French Embassy. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 168.
9. ‘If this lasts’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 112.
10. Cojot’s advice… do without. Ibid., p. 114; Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 168–9.
11. ‘how modern’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 77.
12. ‘What a megalomaniac’. Feldinger, ‘Through the Eyes of Hostages’.
13. Several volunteers… on his heart. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 77–9.
14. The early-afternoon… ‘the terrorists’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, pp. 306–7.
15. ‘the whole operation’… ‘the terms’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 169.
16. ‘France’s responsibility’… ‘believes it himself’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 307
17. ‘I have just communicated’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 80.
18. ‘freedom fighters’… ‘on Thursday’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 26–7; Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 80.
19. ‘to examine military action’… special operations. Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 13–16.
20. ‘Listen, Ehud’. Interview with Ehud Barak, in Live or Die in Entebbe, (feature-length documentary written and directed by Eyal Boers), Dynamic Flash Ltd, 2012.
21. It was obvious… Muki Betser. Ibid.; Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
22. When Betser… mission began. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 296–7.
23. ‘Motta, does the IDF’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 283.
24. ‘There has been no’… ‘the hostages’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 307.
25. ‘maintain our position’… ‘meticulous examination’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 155.
26. ‘presumably’… ‘unthinkable alternative’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 307.
27. ‘woefully confused’… Wadie Haddad. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 131–2; Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 155.
28. Hofi, for one. Gordon Thomas, Gideon’s Spies: Mossad’s Secret Warriors (London, 1999), p. 129.
29. ‘These people’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 155.
30. So desperate… no reply. Author interview with Martine Mimouni-Arnold, op. cit.; Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 137–8.
31. For much of the afternoon. Translation of interview with Michel Cojot in Le Monde, op. cit.
32. Night was falling… ‘with nationality’. Ibid.; Goldberg, Namesake, p. 117; Diary of Sara Davidson, in Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 46.
33. ‘special treatment’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 82.
34. Emma’s more immediate concern. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, Jerusalem, 22 May 2014.
35. ‘The feeling.’ Diary of Moshe Peretz in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 27.
36. ‘the worst feeling’. Interview with Akiva Laxer, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
37. ‘armed and ready’… ‘Wicked’. Diary of Sara Davidson in Ofer, Operation Thunder, pp. 46–7.
38. Even those of dual nationality. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit; Cipher Telegram from British Consulate-General in Jerusalem to FCO, 0955hrs, No. 117 of 5 July, TNA, FCO 93/913.
39. Not everyone… ‘menacing gestures’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 82 and 117.
40. ‘It is we’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 117.
41. ‘appeared very Orthodox’. Confidential telegram from US Embassy in Paris to US Secretary of State, 2024hrs GMT, 3 July 1976, US State Department Archives, www.aad.archives.gov/aad.
42. ‘I’m American’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 145.
43. ‘felt a certain contempt’. Interview with Claude and Emma Rosenkovitch, in Lavie, ‘Surviving the myth’.
44. ‘I want you to swear’… embraced in tears. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 146.
45. ‘The terrorists warn us’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 27.
46. ‘It was a terrible scene’. Testimony of Julie Oiserant [Aouzerate], in ibid., p. 39.
47. Appalled by the separation. Author skype interview with Nancy Rabinowitz, op. cit.
48. Claude Moufflet and others. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 82
49. Akiva Laxer was struck. Author interview with Akiva Laxer, op. cit.
50. ‘not just by hazard’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 82–3.
51. ‘free movement’… was lost. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 117–18.
52. ‘We know’… been moved. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
53. ‘Shimon’… ‘including Amin’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 136.
54. ‘When it comes to negotiating’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 308.
55. ‘Silence!’… permitted to leave. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 83; Goldberg, Namesake, p. 119.
56. ‘Put my father on the list’… leave him. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 119.
57. That night… Jewish citizens. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.; Goldberg, Namesake, p. 126; Author telephone interview with Stéphane Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
58. He knew, of course. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
59. the Rabinowitzes wrote farewell letters. Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz, Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe, p. 29.
60. ‘As hijackers’… ‘the French’. Cipher Telegram from Foreign Secretary Tony Crosland at FCO to James Horrocks, acting British high commissioner in Kampala, 1815hrs GMT, No. 99 of 29 June 1976, TNA, FCO 47/845.
61. ‘Although the Ugandans’. Cipher Telegram from Horrocks in Kampala to Crosland at FCO, 2300hrs GMT, No. 205 of 29 June 1976, ibid.
62. ‘If you consider it useful’. Cipher Telegram from Crosland at FCO to Horrocks in Kampala, 2123hrs GMT, No. 100 of 29 June 1976, ibid.
63. ‘So, gentlemen’… ‘thousand paratroops’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 141–2; ‘Rescue at Entebbe: An Interview with the Chief Pilot’, op. cit.
64. ‘What do you want?’ Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike, p. 18.
65. It all sounded… ‘they sounded’. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 155–6.
66. ‘Jaco! Jaco!’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 86.
67. ‘I’ve no strength’. Diary of Sara Davidson, in Ofer, Operation Thunder, p. 48.
68. ‘broken and depressed’. Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, p. 143.
1. As the hostages slept… Amin’s air force. Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 128; Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 298.
2. ‘holes in the intelligence’… ‘responsibility’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 298–300.
3. Unofficially… stood trial. Charles Hornby, Kenya: A History since Independence (London, 2011), p. 319; Chapman Pincher, Inside Story: A Documentary of the Pursuit of Power (1978, this paperback edition London, 1981), pp. 353-4. The existence of this secret deal was confirmed to me by Charles Njonjo, the former attorney-general of Kenya and a member of Kenyatta’s inner circle, during an interview in late 2013. Njonjo told me that he asked ‘Israel to bring a plane down here, [and] put them in’. He thinks the five terrorists later ‘disappeared’ and that that was the right thing for Israel to do. (Author interview with Charles Njonjo, London, 23 October 2013.) In fact, after repeated inquiries by their government and parents, the Israelis admitted to holding the two West Germans–Brigitte Schulte and Thomas Reuter–who were both given ten-year prison sentences by a military tribunal in September 1979. They were released in early 1981, after serving five years, and deported from Israel. (‘Two West Germans Sentenced for 1976 Plot to Shoot Down Israeli Airliner’, Jewish Telegraph Agency, 14 September 1979, http://www.jta.org/1979/09/14/archive/two-west-germans-sentenced-for-1976-plot-to-shoot-down-israeli-airliner).
4. The third plan… ‘anybody noticing’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 300-1.
5. ‘They’re booby-trapping’… ‘in charge’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 158–9.
6. ‘I’ve asked you here’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 157.
7. ‘We don’t manufacture Phantoms’. Clive Jones and Tore T. Petersen (eds), Israel’s Clandestine Diplomacies (New York, 2013), pp. 144–6.
8. ‘greatly influenced’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 157
9. Bar Lev explained. Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 129..
10. The second of the three… ‘at Entebbe’. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 157–8.
11. ‘Amin’s personal advisor’. Jones and Petersen (eds), Israel’s Clandestine Diplomacies, p. 143.
12. ‘close to the top’. Peres, Battling for Peace, 158.
13. Peres had no sooner… ‘on surprise’. Ibid., pp. 158–9.
14. The distinctive whump-whump… frustration. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 95; Goldberg, Namesake, p. 116.
15. ‘Good morning’… ‘Goodbye’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 95–7.
16. ‘president of Africa’… ‘hung up to dry’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 116–17.
17. captured for posterity. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 97.
18. ‘massive round’. Ibid.
19. ‘fascist Israeli government’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 27.
20. The man translating… Soleh Boneh. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
21. ‘repeat the terrorists’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 27-8.
22. ‘You are Field Marshal’… ‘whole building’. Author interview with Akiva Laxer, op. cit.
23. Once Amin had left… his post. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 97–8.
24. ‘Gentlemen’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
25. ‘Mr Prime Minister’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 163.
26. ‘We know’… ‘pressure on us’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
27. ‘Gentlemen’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 165.
28. ‘The only danger’… ‘possible minimum’. Ibid., pp. 165–6.
29. ‘second hand’… ‘medical attention’. Cipher Telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, 0930hrs GMT, No. 208 of 30 June 1976, TNA, FCO 47/845.
30. ‘Silence!’… herded before her. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 100–1.
31. ‘Hey, hold on’. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
32. ‘Papa’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 119.
33. ‘deliberate sign’… ‘admirable attitude’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 101.
34. The father. Ibid.; Goldberg, Namesake, p. 119.
35. As the growing crowd… forty-seven. ‘Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 102.
36. ‘It was soon clear’. Diary of Julie Oiserant [Aouzerate], in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 39.
37. It included… ‘stateless’. ‘Freed Hostages Tell their Story’, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 1 July 1976; Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, 1300hrs GMT, No. 211 of 30 June 1976, TNA, FCO 47/485.
38. Once all forty-seven… sedation. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 102.
39. ‘alone and free’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 120.
40. ‘I called this meeting’… ‘lots of secrets’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
41. ‘What progress’. Ibid.
42. ‘Anything workable’… ‘nothing firm yet’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 166.
43. Now more certain… ‘catastrophe’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
44. ‘Mr President’… ‘save these people’. Transcript of first phone conversation between Bar-Lev and Amin on 30 June 1976, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 209–11, Ofer, Operation Thunder, pp. 62–4, and Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 167–8.
45. ‘most vulnerable’… ‘wagging’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 120.
46. ‘various options’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 28.
47. ‘the Yachtsman’… ‘at the time’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 120–1.
48. ‘We have not made’… peaceful solution. Diary of a Government Spokesman, 30 June 1976, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 29
49. Avineri was called in… ‘in Mauritius’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 174–5.
50. Faiz Jaber… kicked and punched. Ibid., pp. 171–2; Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.; Interview with Nahum Dahan, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
51. After what seemed… ‘we’re satisfied’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 117; New York Times, 11 July 1976; Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.; Interview with Nahum Dahan, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
52. ‘collect together’… ‘troops in Entebbe’. Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
53. ‘We’re leaving tonight’. Iddo Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 22.
54. ‘stealing across’… ‘something will go wrong’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 303.
55. ‘Listen’… ‘keeping you posted’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 22.
56. ‘gesture of goodwill’… ‘Gandhi see you’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 303–5.
57. ‘A contact’… ‘the Israelis’. Confidential Memorandum from David Colvin, British Embassy in Paris, to Frank Wheeler, Head of the Near East and North African Department at FCO, 30 June 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913.
58. ‘We have to formulate’… own hands. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 174.
59. Faiz Jaber… ‘until you do’. New York Times, 11 July 1976.
60. ‘There is no way out’… ‘abomination’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 176–7.
61. ‘There is going to be’… ‘relatives could apply’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
62. Following his meeting… 9 p.m. Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
63. There were three men present… ‘dud of a plan’. Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike, pp. 20–1.
64. ‘operational concept’… 200 hostages. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 23-4; Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chaoter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
65. ‘Motta, do we have’… ‘meet at eight-thirty’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 178–80.
66. ‘difficult’… hurling insults. Diary of a Government Spokesman, 30 June 1976, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 29; Author telephone interview with Amos Eiran, 9 October 2013.
67. Earlier… own government. Ofer, Operation Thunder, pp. 55–6.
68. The arrival… went to sleep. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 111–12.
69. ‘I’ve passed on your advice’… ‘good night, sir’. Transcript of the second phone conversation between Bar-Lev and Amin, 2305hrs, 30 June 1976, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 211–13, and Ofer, Operation Thunder, pp. 64–7.
70. Peres nodded. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 159.
71. Olivier Cojot. Author telephone interview with Olivier Cojot-Goldberg, op. cit.
72. ‘Ladies and gentlemen’… ‘the affair’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 177–8.
73. ‘veteran officer’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 306.
74. Olivier was interviewed… ‘there’s no question’. Ibid.
75. Interviewed later… ‘show up’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 306.
76. ‘articulate and well-educated’… she was safe. Cipher telegram from Ambassador Kenneth Rush to US Secretary of State (repeated London and other US embassies), 0245hrs GMT, 1 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/8 and 9. The reason why Dr Bass was keeping such a low profile, according to his fellow hostage Ilan Hartuv, was that the doctor feared the consequences if the hijackers discovered he was also a medical officer in the IDF Reserves. He was travelling on a US passport but had also handed in, at a separate point, his military identity card. (Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.)
77. As Ivan Oren… ‘Yes, sir.’ Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.; Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 25.
78. ‘most important post’… ‘Israeli cabinet’. Henry Kissinger, Years of Renewal: The Concluding Volume of his Memoirs (New York, 1999), p. 447.
79. ‘Hello’… ‘Okay, Bye.’ Teleconversation between Ambassador Dinitz and Secretary of State Kissinger, 6.40 p.m, 30 June 1976, Declassified US State Department Archives, SI 419, released 28 July 2003, 200102979, aad.archives.gov/aad.
80. Unbeknown… come to nothing. Cipher telegrams from Herman Eilts, US Ambassador to Egypt, to US Secretary of State, 1424hrs GMT, 6 July 1976 and 1826hrs, 9 July 1976, Declassified US State Department Archives, Review 04 May 2006, aad.archives.gov/aad.
1. Claude Moufflet… The men laughed. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 112–13.
2. ‘Prime Minister’… ‘arrive in boxes’. Author telephone interview with Amos Eiran, op. cit.
3. Breakfast arrived… good spirits. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 114–16.
4. ‘Gentlemen’… ‘imminent danger’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, pp. 308–9.
5. ‘There is an alternative’… Peres followed suit. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 159–60.
6. ‘Wake up!’… ‘live or die? Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.; Interview with Nahum Dahan, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
7. ‘Does anyone’… ‘Arab in “type”’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 118.
8. ‘Your attitude’… pieces of pineapple. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 117–18; New York Times, 11 July 1976; Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.; Interview with Nahum Dahan, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
9. ‘The IDF’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 284.
10. ‘Yes, Prime Minister’… ‘Thank you’. ‘Operation Entebbe Protocols revealed’, op. cit.
11. ‘Could I just add’. Williams, The Israel Defense Forces, p. 132.
12. ‘So be it’… ‘measure of relief’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, pp. 310–11; Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 285.
13. Once Likud… reservations. Diary of a Government Spokesman, 1 July 1976, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 31.
14. ‘It seems’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 311.
15. One of them… ‘few hostages’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 119– 22.
16. ‘fake identities’… ‘flying out’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 306.
17. ‘too limited’… ‘to Israel’. Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
18. ‘dropping everything’… ‘down to details’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 307.
19. ‘Inform your government’… ‘and activity’. Transcript of the third phone conversation between Bar-Lev and Amin, 1000hrs, 1 July 1976, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 213–15.
20. ‘I’ve some very important’… back in. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 123.
21. ‘Not the crew!’ Goldberg, Namesake, p. 121.
22. ‘Could you bring’… their suitcases. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 123-4.
23. A former go-go dancer. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 149–63.
24. ‘Hello. Good Morning’… ‘Good luck’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 123–5; Goldberg, Namesake, p. 121.
25. ‘because of the obstinacy’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 40.
26. What he did not mention… that happened. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 169.
27. ‘There is an air’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 40.
28. ‘gnawed by a supercharged’… ‘before then’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 311.
29. ‘I want everyone’… ‘bus outside’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 125.
30. Cojot took over. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 121.
31. Of the first sixty-three. Cipher cable from US Ambassador in Paris to US Secretary of State, 1818hrs GMT, 03 July 1976, Declassified US State Department Archives, 04 May 2006, 654775, aad.archives.gov/aad.
32. As the young Canadians. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 125.
33. Sanford Freeman… box of medicines. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.
34. ‘very much afraid’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 121.
35. One by one… ‘almost absolute’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 125–7.
36. ‘mistake had been made’… ‘having company’. Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz, ‘Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe’, p. 29.
37. More names were called. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 127.
38. Cojot, meanwhile. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 124–5.
39. ‘Let me go’… ‘Palestinian camps’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 128.
40. ‘You have been so useful’… Franco-Jewish glory. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 122–4.
41. ‘the Supreme Court’… ‘had to kill’. Ibid., pp. 52–4.
42. With the full consent… ‘powerful reasons’. Ibid., pp. 58–78.
43. ‘a stool by the Righteous’… last visit to the Israelis. Ibid., pp. 125–7.
44. ‘No, you must go’… he had to leave. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
45. ‘Because’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 127–8.
46. Returning to the main hall… ‘Jewish or not’. Ibid., pp. 123–4. Captain Michel Bacot later claimed in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle that he and the crew had had the option to leave and had not taken it. ‘When I was being held hostage and had the possibility of being released,’ he said, ‘I called the crew together and said: “We have to remain with the passengers until the end–that is our duty.” It was an immediate, unhesitating decision. Every member of the crew agreed with me… It was, simply put, the right thing to do.’ (Jeremy Josephs, ‘Michel Bacos: The Air France hero of Entebbe’, Jewish Chronicle, 15 June 2012.)
47. ‘Are you an Iranian?’… their friends. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 128–9.
48. ‘What were they doing there?’ Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz, ‘Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe’, op. cit., p. 29.
49. All this time… abandoning the others. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 129–30.
50. Yehuda Avner… ‘show me in the morning’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, pp. 311–12.
51. Peres’s scheme… ‘rescue plan’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 160.
52. ‘the blackmailer’s hand’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 285.
53. ‘to procure more’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 160.
54. As Cojot, Moufflet… ‘good journey’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 129.
55. ‘regained their tourist’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 127.
56. Moufflet did not have… ‘not really anything’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 139.
57. Horrocks, meanwhile… ‘on this point’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission to FCO, 0830hrs GMT, No. 217 of 2 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2054.
58. ‘You’re moving!’… ‘others left’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 224.
59. Reunited… ‘still here?’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 133
60. With enough mattresses… demeanour had not changed’. Ibid., pp. 140–1.
61. ‘on the compromise’… security leak. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 307–9.
62. ‘to determine the method’. Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan, op. cit.
63. A tall, impressive man… Egyptian tanks. ‘The 25 Most Intriguing People of 1976’, People, 27 December 1976–3 January 1977.
64. ‘Dan’… ‘Let’s go’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 310–12.
65. Maggy was undressing… others laughed. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 141.
66. ‘as if they were’. Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, p. 144.
67. ‘born anew’… ‘giving in’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 224; Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 40–1.
68. Talking among themselves… exchange of prisoners. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 141.
69. ‘a day or two’. Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, p. 144.
70. ‘I am rather astonished’… agreed Kissinger. Teleconversation between Secretary of State Kissinger and Ambassador Dinitz, 10.05 a.m. (local time), 1 July 1976, Declassified US State Department Archives, SJ6, released 9 May 2005, 200102979, aad.archives.gov/aad.
71. Two planes… ‘journey with us’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 133-4.
72. ‘certain New Zealand’… ‘hostages embarked’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission to FCO, 0830hrs GMT, No. 217 of 2 July 1976, op. cit.
73. ‘working with the hijackers’… certainly baseless. Cipher telegram from the US Ambassador to France to the US Secretary of State, 2045hrs GMT, 3 July 1976, Paris 19568, Declassified US State Department Archives, 4 May 2006, www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1976PARIS19568_b.html.
74. ‘one of us had concealed’. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 127.
75. ‘really kind’… control tower. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 134–5.
76. ‘We must ask ourselves’… ‘not rely on the French’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
77. ‘Can you present the plan’… ‘what you told him’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 309–13; Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
78. ‘Any dissenters?’… ‘Bay of Pigs’. Section 5: Actions at the General Staff Level, Chapter B, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., Para 18; Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 160.
79. ‘Wave of Ash’… good omen. Tali Lipkin-Shakhak, ‘The Forgotten Hero of Entebbe’, Ma’ariv Saturday supplement, 16 June 2006.
80. ‘Without you’… ‘wake up at last’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 127–8.
81. It was dark… buzz of mosquitoes. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 144–5.
82. At 8.30 p.m.… Bruce McKenzie. Author interview with Charles Njonjo, op. cit.; author telephone interview with Dany Saadon, 16 December 2013.
83. great improvement. Email to the author from Bruce McKenzie’s younger son, 24 November 2014.
84. McKenzie was close… ‘flowing both ways’. Author interview with Christina McKenzie, Haselbech, Northants, 5 July 2013.
85. ‘talked with many’. Chapman Pincher, Dangerous to Know: A Life (London 2014), p. 99.
86. ‘the most influential’. David Hebditch and Ken Connor, How to Stage a Military Coup: From Planning to Execution (London, 2005), p. 128.
87. ‘chief confidant’… ‘usurp him’. Pincher, Dangerous to Know, p. 99.
88. ‘like a son’. Author interview with Christina McKenzie, op. cit.
89. ‘planning something’… happy to help. Author interviews with Dany Saadon and Charles Njonjo, op. cit.
90. They still owed the Mossad… Uganda. Pincher, Inside Story, p. 354.
91. and, crucially. ‘John Kamau, ‘How Mossad threw Kenya into the line of terrorist fire’, Daily Nation, 17 January 2014.
92. They had not yet discussed… hospital treatment. Author interviews with Dany Saadon and Charles Njonjo, op. cit.
93. When Muki Betser… calm professionalism. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 313–15; Lipkin-Shakhak, ‘The Forgotten Hero of Entebbe’.
94. At 9 p.m.… ‘I’m with you’. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 160–1; Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 243–4.
95. ‘We will now’… ‘military rescue’. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 161–2; Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 244.
96. ‘C’mon Muki’… break-ins. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 314–17.
97. ‘I don’t see any alternative’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 48.
98. Noam Tamir… no fear. Author interview with Noam Tamir, London, 15 October 2013.
99. Ephraim Sneh… combat troops. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, Herzliya, Israel, 22 May 2014.
100. Jossy Faktor… ‘teams and blood’. David E. Kaplan, ‘A historic hostage-taking revisited’, Jerusalem Post, 3 August 2006, http://www.jpost.com/Features/A-historic-hostage-taking-revisited.
101. ‘A hundred shitting’… ‘overcome and prevail’. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.
102. ‘Are we going far?’… their lives’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 57.
103. Tormented… could he sleep. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, Jewish Telegraph Online, 2006, www.jewishtelegraph.com/enteb_1.html.
104. ‘Motta’… ‘hardest of my life’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 162; Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 245.
1. A spontaneous cheer… previous Sunday. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 135.
2. ‘I’m so relieved’. Daily Express, 2 July 1976.
3. ‘future ex-wife’… hours later. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 131.
4. The official… former hostages. Author interview with Stéphane Cojot-Goldberg, Paris, 16 January 2 015.
5. He told the Israelis… separate rooms. Goldberg, Namesake, p. 131.
6. Most of the Americans… city centre. Cipher cable from US Ambassador in Paris to US Secretary of State, 0441hrs GMT, 02 July 1976, Paris 19371, Declassified US State Department Archives, 04 May 2006, www.archives.gov/aad.
7. ‘We were expecting’… ‘diplomatic joke’. Author skype interviews with Nancy and Peter Rabinowitz, op. cit.; Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz, ‘Fifty-two Hundred and Ninety Minutes at Entebbe’, p. 29.
8. Later that day… ‘infirm to break’. Cipher cable from US Ambassador in Paris to US Secretary of State, 2045hrs GMT, 3 July 1976, Paris 19568, op. cit.
9. Yoni Netanyahu… saying a word. Hastings, Yoni, pp. 222-3.
10. ‘I know I’m not with you’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, 48; Hastings, Yoni, pp. 217-18.
11. It was still dark… Uganda. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 145.
12. ‘Everybody’s possessions’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 65.
13. ‘land on its soil’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 162.
14. ‘much to be preferred’… shook his head. Ibid., pp. 162–3.
15. The hostages… reach an agreement. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 145; Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 65.
16. ‘most of the family men’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 65.
17. ‘our spirit is not broken’. New York Times, 11 July 1976.
18. ‘Look’. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
19. ‘We, all the Israelis’. ‘Appeal by the Hostages to the Israeli Government’, broadcast on the Kampala home service, 1400hrs GMT, 3 July 1976, in TNA, FCO 31/2055.
20. ‘It’s not what we asked’… ‘best we can do’. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
21. It was not broadcast’. ‘Appeal by the Hostages to the Israeli Government’, op. cit.
22. Sergeant Amir… drills began. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.; Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 57–8.
23. ‘warning orders’… redundant. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 58–9.
24. ‘Could everyone’… ‘It’s the wind’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 146–7.
25. ‘The question’… ‘plan’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 253–4.
26. ‘firm ally’… ‘on the ground’. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 163–4; Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 65.
27. ‘could consider’… with explosives. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, pp. 285-6.
28. ‘supreme importance’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 164.
29. ‘So it’s a flight’… in Tel Aviv. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
30. ‘There are’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 164.
31. ‘Would you be interested’… continued writing. Pincher, Inside Story, p. 351.
32. ‘I actually noticed’… ‘too worried’. Debrief of Mr Russell and Mr Good, op. cit.
33. Livneh began… garrison of troops. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 66–7.
34. As Livneh left… ‘it can fail’. Interview with Ehud Barak, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.; Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.
35. ‘Some of the assault teams’… ‘It can be done’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 70–1.
36. The usual lunch. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 148.
37. ‘that no one is left’. Diary of Moshe Peretz, in Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 65–6.
38. ‘What is it mother?’… ‘stay here’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 278; Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.; New York Times, 11 July 1976.
39. ‘easily removed’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 170.
40. ‘Ehud’s gone’… if necessary. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 73–4.
41. ‘It needs a lot of work’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 317.
42. Dagan began work. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 75–7.
43. ‘When the Ugandans’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 317–18.
44. ‘Begin’… ‘dramatic day’. Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
45. ‘Amin on behalf’’. Cipher telegram from P. E. Rosling at FCO to British High Commission in Kampala, 2 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/15.
46. ‘In the event’. Confidential letter from David Goodall, Head of Western European Department at FCO, to Roger Westbrook, Private Secretary to Minister of State at FCO, 2 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/7 and 8.
47. ‘should read a common’… ‘freedom of manoeuvre’. Confidential letter from Julian Bullard, Minister at British Embassy in Bonn, to David Goodall at FCO, 7 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2056; ‘Bonn won’t climb down: Terrorists stay imprisoned’, Die Welt, 1 July 1976, BStU Archive [Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records], Berlin, Mfs/HA IX/9979; ‘Between Bonn and Entebbe’, Frankfurter Rundschau, 6 July 1976.
48. ‘Don’t worry’… total darkness. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 77–9.
49. ‘I told you’… joke was about. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 148–50.
50. ‘Good news’… prisoners and keepers. Ibid., pp. 150–1.
51. ‘Do it again’… ‘keep it to yourself’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 88–90.
52. Mike Harari. Yossi Melman, ‘Legendary Mossad operative behind some of spy agency’s most daring operations dies at 87’, Jerusalem Post, 22 September 2014.
53. The exact terms… icing on the cake. Author interviews with Dany Saadon and Charles Njonjo, op. cit.
54. ‘Shabbat Shalom’… Peres was silent. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 164–5.
55. ‘very mysterious’… ‘off the telephone’. Pincher, Inside Story, p. 351.
56. As the evening wore on… not working. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 151-2.
57. As the hostages… ‘of my life’. Miller, ‘Miracles at Entebbe’, pp. 146–7; Interview with Ruthie Gross, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
58. ‘There’s just one problem’… ‘the APCs will’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 92.
59. With the briefing over… two jeeps. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.
60. ‘The one thing’… ‘first plane’. Hastings, Yoni, p. 224; ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.
61. ‘very bad’. Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike, p. 32.
62. The final officer… ‘well done’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 94-6; Hastings, Yoni, p. 224.
63. It was after midnight… the hostages. Hastings, Yoni, p. 225.
64. The men… biggest failure. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 100–2.
65. ‘In a real rehearsal’. Dunstan, Israel’s Lightning Strike, p. 32.
66. ‘The top brass’… potential for disaster. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 97–100.
67. Peres picked up… in the morning. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 165.
1. ‘I bet you haven’t eaten’… was asleep. Hastings, Yoni, p. 225.
2. ‘I feel terrible’… ‘I don’t think so’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 153.
3. Also stricken… ‘around him’. New York Times, 11 July 1976.
4. In the large hall… Uganda that day. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 153–4; Author telephone interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
5. Amos Eiran… ‘can go wrong’. Author telephone interview with Amos Eiran, op. cit.
6. Israeli Ambassador… left the building. Author interview with Uri Lubrani, Tel Aviv, 9 October 2013.
7. Retrieving… the real reason. Pincher, Inside Story, p. 352; Daily Express, 3 July 1976.
8. ‘I’m late’… driving away. Hastings, Yoni, pp. 222-3; Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 123.
9. ‘Motta’… 11.20 a.m. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 165–6.
10. Health Minister… ‘airport hall’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 170–1.
11. ‘You’ve got to tell him’… ‘excellent meeting’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 124–6.
12. For thirty minutes… ‘approve the plan’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 288; Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 286.
13. ‘Prime Minister’… ‘an alternative’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 166.
14. ‘It is Israel’… operation was one. Ibid., p. 166; Williams, The Israeli Defense Forces, p. 137.
15. For the sick… depressing day. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 155.
16. ‘What I’m about to say’… ‘heavy cost’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 312; Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 287.
17. ‘I wholeheartedly’. ‘Operation Entebbe Protocols revealed’, op. cit.
18. ‘stealth, caution’… their decision. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 313; The Rabin Memoirs, p. 287; ‘Operation Entebbe Protocols revealed’, op. cit.; Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 166.
19. ‘full webbing’… ‘holiday jaunt’. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 166.
20. ‘It’s for Brigadier’… ‘in view’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 320–1.
21. included images… Old Terminal. Secret Entebbe Photos and Maps in the possession of Dr Colonel (Retd) Zeev Drory.
22. Earlier verbal. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 132.
23. severe turbulence. Ibid., p. 133.
24. Amir Ofer. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.
25. ‘worst of them’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 133.
26. After an hour… during the flight. Ibid., p. 134.
27. ‘You have put us’… ‘military option’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 287.
28. ‘Mr Prime Minister’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 313.
29. ‘Thank you’… go ahead. ‘Operation Entebbe Protocols revealed’, op. cit.; Hastings, Yoni, p. 226.
30. ‘I’ve just received’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, p. 313.
31. Pilot Joshua Shani… all was well. ‘Rescue at Entebbe: An Interview with the Chief Pilot’, op. cit.
32. As during… stop at Ofira. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 147–8.
33. ‘planning the rescue’… Bester, Secret Soldier, p. 324.
34. Netanyahu pulled… ‘tonight, eh?’ Hastings, Yoni, p. 3.
35. All around… inches of his limbs. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 153.
36. ‘Well’… ‘Gandhi will kill me’. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, pp. 293–4.
37. ‘Every detail’. Rabin, The Rabin Memoirs, p. 288.
38. ‘If he’s there’… fell asleep. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 150–3.
39. Uri Lubrani… make any difference? Author interview with Uri Lubrani, op. cit.
40. ‘Shimon’… an hour later. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 167; Appendix A: Timeline, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
41. ‘Israel crisis committee’… ‘no alternatives’. Cipher cable from the German Embassy in Tel Aviv to the Federal Foreign Ministry in Bonn, 1100hrs GMT, No. 438 of 4 July 1976, Politisches Archiv of the Auswärtiges Amt (Political Archive of the Federal Foreign Office), Berlin, 530.35vs-nfd/108233.
42. ‘criminals’. Confidential letter from Julian Bullard, Minister at British Embassy in Bonn, to David Goodall, Head of Western European Department at FCO, 7 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2056.
43. ‘Shalom!’… good omen. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 156.
44. ‘laboriously decoded’. Susan Crosland, Tony Crosland (1982), pp. 344–5.
45. ‘cool heads’… ‘suggesting action’. Cipher cable from Anthony Crosland to the British Embassy in Paris, 1833hrs GMT, No. 344 of 3 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2055.
46. Wadie Haddad. Author interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
47. ‘It’s the president’… ‘I will see to it’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 170–1.
48. ‘very satisfied air’… neon lights. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 157–9.
49. ‘sitting just outside’. Alvin Shuster, ‘It’s O.K., You’re Going Home’, New York Times, 5 July 1976.
50. The first… in the morning. Appendix A: Timeline, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., p. 107.
51. Lubrani, meanwhile… been informed. Author interviews with Uri Lubrani and Dany Saadon, op. cit.
52. ‘Njonjo’. Author interview with Charles Njonjo, op. cit.
53. ‘Wake up’… ‘speed, speed’. Hastings, Yoni, pp. 7-9.
54. ‘the sky flashed’… ‘minutes away’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 324–5.
55. ‘Everything all right’… ‘No problems’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 157.
56. ‘So far, so good’… ‘It’ll be okay’. Hastings, Yoni, p. 9.
57. He then… combat blouse. Ibid., p. 7-9.
58. His preparations… with Galils. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 325.
59. ‘Don’t screw this up!’ ‘Rescue at Entebbe: An Interview with the Chief Pilot’, op. cit.
60. He had judged… relief. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 325–6.
61. It was 11.01 p.m. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 157.
62. Yitzhak Rabin… knife-edge. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 167; Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 107.
63. For the second night… ‘simply unthinkable’. Pincher, Inside Story, p. 352.
64. Reducing power… cause suspicion. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 158; Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 326.
65. ‘approaching quietly’. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.; Interview with Amir Ofer, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
66. ‘the distant halo’… Land Rovers. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 327–8; Section 15: Penetration of the Old Terminal, Chapter C: The Operation, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 71–8; Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 164-5.
67. This prompted. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 165.
68. ‘in a fireball’… incoming fire. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 328–9.
69. Netanyahu shouted. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 167-8.
70. As Betser ran on… Amos Goren. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 329–30; Section 15: Penetration of the Old Terminal, Chapter C, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 71–8.
71. But in the lead now… in the process. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.; Interview with Amir Ofer, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
72. Yoni Netanyahu… close behind him. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 169.
73. Ofer was within… to make sure. ‘Entebbe Thirty Years On: Through the Army’s Eyes’, op. cit.; Interview with Amir Ofer, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
74. Akiva Laxer… on the ground. Author interview with Akiva Laxer, op. cit.
75. Among those woken… killing hostages. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 159.
76. Others feared… human shields. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.
77. Also now awake… in the other. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 159; Shuster, ‘It’s O.K., You’re Going Home’.
78. Looking from… open fire. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
79. ‘If any army’Josephs, ‘Michel Bacos: The Air France hero of Entebbe’.
80. The German… as he did so. Author interviews with Ilan Hartuv and Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
81. Assuming Böse ? no sign. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 160–1.
82. ‘Amnon, don’t advance!’ Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 170.
83. ‘to make sure’… ‘from the bullets’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 330–1.
84. Then a small object… a pillar. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 161.
85. Betser and Goren saw him… fell to the floor. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 331.
86. Only a minute… turn and run. Ibid.
87. When the shooting started… was fatal. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 161.
88. ‘It’s important to understand’. Amir Ofer, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
89. Moments after… floor above. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 161.
90. ‘Lie down’. Interview with Amir Ofer, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
91. Ofer’s words… above her. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 170.
92. ‘Here’s one of ours!’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 161.
93. ‘They are here!’. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.
94. ‘They’re ours.’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 161.
95. Are there any terrorists’… ‘back with us’. Author interview with Akiva Laxer, op. cit.; Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 331.
96. While Muki… taken prisoner. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 178–80; Section 15: Penetration of the Old Terminal, Chapter C, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 71–8.
97. With his team… in the leg. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 176–8; Section 15: Penetration of the Old Terminal, Chapter C, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 71–8.
98. It was not until… to survive. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 169, 180–1.
99. ‘Muki! Muki!’… ‘Okay’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 331–2.
100. By now all four planes… escaped. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 191–2; Interview with Surin Hershko, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
101. No sooner had… reception hall. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 184–5; Section 15: Penetration of the Old Terminal, Chapter C, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit., pp. 71–8.
102. Hercules Four… to safety. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 87–8.
103. Once on the ground… ‘the runway’. Section 16: Rescue of the Hostages, Chapter C, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
104. By then… ‘in a bad way’. Author interviews with Ephraim Sneh and Noam Tamir, op. cit.
105. En route… the plane. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.; Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 187.
106. Back at the Old… their bags. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 333.
107. ‘very pale’… ‘your shoes!’ Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 163.
108. Outside Betser… the building. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 334.
109. The departure… for safety. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.
110. ‘Come on’… long grass. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 165.
111. One of the last… the hostages. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 189.
112. Inside Hercules Four… like a nappy. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 165–6.
113. ‘My mother’… ‘left alive’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 193–4.
114. By now… started weeping. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 166.
115. On the flight deck… on the plane. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 194.
116. Halivni reported… ‘Okay’. ‘Revealed General Yekutiel “Kuti” Adam, Operation Entebbe Commander Voice’, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnCLKX_GSXw (translated from Hebrew by Karen Gilbert); Yuval Azoulay, ‘IDF releases audio recordings from famed 1976 Entebbe rescue’, Haaretz, 5 May 2008.
117. It was shortly after… he could leave. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 195–6.
118. His destination… ‘Good’. Azoulay, ‘IDF releases audio recordings from famed 1976 Entebbe rescue’.
119. ‘climbed heavy-hearted’… ‘protectors’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 334.
120. Reaching the end… Embakasi Airport. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 167.
121. Kuti Adam… ‘army hangars’. Section 17: Clearing of the Old Terminal, Chapter C, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.; ‘Revealed General Yekutiel “Kuti” Adam, Operation Entebbe Commander Voice’, op. cit.
122. Not long after… ‘heroes’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 335.
123. The two rearguard… no response. Section 17: Clearing of the Old Terminal, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
124. ‘The plane looks dark’. Azoulay, ‘IDF releases audio recordings from famed 1976 Entebbe rescue’, op. cit.
125. ‘We’ve begun to load’. Ibid.
126. Biran then dismantled… thirty-nine minutes. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 199.
127. ‘there was fighting’… ‘tanks and trucks’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 171–2.
128. ‘broke down’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to the FCO, No. 224 of 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2055.
129. ‘out of concern’… denied. Ibid., 2010hrs GMT, No. 232 of 5 July 1976.
130. Henry Kyemba… troops. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 172–3.
131. Gerd Schnepel… feared the worst. Author interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.
132. The ministers… gauge his reaction. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 167–8.
133. When Amin’s voice… call back. Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, pp. 215–16.
134. ‘made a little speech’… but delighted. Peres, Battling for Peace, p. 168.
135. ‘Tell Mr Rabin’. Author interview with Amos Eiran, op. cit.
136. ‘laconic statement’… ‘Yoni’s death’. Peres, Battling for Peace, pp. 168–9.
137. For much… back of the plane. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 167.
138. ‘What’s this?’. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.
139. Informed by the pilot… ‘in the morning’. Author telephone interview with Dany Saadon, op. cit.
140. Minutes later… of the raid. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 167; Stevenson, 90 Minutes at Entebbe, p. 134; Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 328.
141. The other casualties… on the C-130. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.
142. ‘I understand’. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.
143. ‘white face’… in an instant. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 202.
144. ‘We did our duty’. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 337.
145. ‘completely stunned’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 202.
146. ‘The president wants you’… ‘Tell him yes’. Author interview with Uri Lubrani, op. cit.
1. Not that the hostages… dead bodies. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 167–70.
2. By now… 5.18 a.m. Appendix A–Timeline, ‘Operation Yonatan’, op. cit.
3. On hearing… ‘Yes’. ‘Idi: After all I’ve done for Israel’, Jerusalem Post, 5 July 1976.
4. While most… doing so. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 7-8.
5. A few hours… ‘through with it’. Author interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.; Email from Gerd Schnepel to the author, 11 November 2013.
6. Forty-five minutes… to end. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 170.
7. ‘Ladies and gentlemen’… No one laughed. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.
8. Having overseen… ‘solve itself’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 173–4.
9. Waiting beside… Sabra liquer. ‘Entebbe hostages coming back home–4 July 1976’, live footage by an IDF film crew, http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4ae_1278267624.
10. In the hangar… in the room. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 171–2.
11. ‘Thank you’. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.
12. ‘emptied, washed’. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, p. 172.
13. As the hostages took off… side door. Betser, Secret Soldier, p. 338
14. ‘How was Yoni killed?’… as possible. Netanyahu, Entebbe, p. 207.
15. Betser and the others… ‘famous initiative’. Betser, Secret Soldier, pp. 338–9.
16. During the fifteen-minute… families were waiting. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 172–4.
17. ‘Men and women’. New York Times, 4 July 1976.
18. The Israelis… finally over. Moufflet, Otages à Kampala, pp. 174–6.
19. For four Israeli families… ‘my son is dead’. Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.; Author interview with Martine Mimouni-Arnold, op. cit.; Author interviews with Jonathan Khayat, 7 and 8 October 2013.
20. Robert would never discover… ‘put aside’. Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
21. For a time… operating table. Ben-Porat, Haber and Schiff, Entebbe Rescue, p. 332.
22. The first member… ‘throughout the country’. Netanyahu, Entebbe, pp. 7–8.
23. ‘ran to the terminal’… ‘ever had’. ‘Operation Entebbe protocols revealed’, op. cit.
24. ‘Mr Speaker’… ‘pride to us all’. Statement of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the Knesset on the Liberation of the Passengers of the Hijacked Air France Plane in Uganda, 4 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/914/20.
25. ‘Not since the Six-Day’… ‘message of Entebbe’. Avner, The Prime Ministers, pp. 314–16.
26. British diplomat… via Air France. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, 0815hrs GMT, No. 225 of 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2055.
27. ‘hadn’t got away’. Crosland, Tony Crosland, p. 346.
28. ‘to get Mrs Bloch’. Tony Crosland to the High Commissioner at Kampala, 1730hrs GMT, No. 105 of 4 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/13.
29. Accompanied by his wife… Dora Bloch. ‘Mrs Dora Bloch, UK/Israeli Dual National’, Confidential Report by Peter Chandley, 7 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2060.
30. This was the result… ‘both parties’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 174.
31. ‘in the presence’… ‘in tears’. ‘Mrs Dora Bloch, UK/Israeli Dual National’, op. cit.
32. ‘smarting with humiliation’… ‘This is terrible’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 174–6.
1. ‘This is a harsh land’… ‘pain and mourning’. Marcus Eliason of the Associated Press, ‘African Nations Condemn Israel’s Hostage Rescue’, Abilene Report-News, 6 July 1976.
2. ‘Government of Israel’… ‘blackmail’. Yigal Allon to the British Ambassador to Israel, 5 July 1976, in No. 139 of 6 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913.
3. ‘personal congratulations’. Record of a telephone conversation between the Minister of State [Hattersley] and the Israeli Ambassador, 6 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913.
4. ‘We see no particular need’. R. N. Dales, Private Secretary to Roy Hattersley, to Patrick Wright, Private Secretary to James Callaghan, 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913/13.
5. ‘to express his relief’… ‘were Jews’. Confidential letter from Julian Bullard, Minister at British Embassy in Bonn, to David Goodall, Head of Western European Department at FCO, 7 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2056.
6. France and Switzerland. Daily Express, 5 July 1976; Cipher telegram from British Ambassador in Stockholm to FCO, No. 133 of 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2055.
7. ‘great satisfaction’. Daily Express, 5 July 1976.
8. ‘We will not let Kenya’. Teleconversation between Henry Kissinger and Simcha Dinitz, 1210hrs GMT, declassified State Department Archives, SJ20, released 28 July 2003, 200102979, www.aad.archives.gov/aad..
9. ‘Uganda reserves her right’. Cipher cable from US Ambassador to the UN to State Department, 1437hrs GMT, 6 July 1976, US State Department Archives, www.aad.archives.gov/aad.
10. ‘unprecedented aggression’… ‘the UN’. TNA, FCO 93/913.
11. ‘has not been used’… ‘public stance’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Nairobi to FCO, No. 1738 of 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2055.
12. ‘The Kenyans’. Ibid., No. 1746 of 5 July 1976.
13. ‘only in such a way’… ‘its mistake’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, No. 223 of 5 July 1976, ibid.
14. ‘government terrorism’. Ismail Fahmy, Egyptian Foreign Minister, quoted in cipher cable from British Embassy in Cairo to FCO, No. 653 of 5 July 1976, ibid.
15. ‘latest act of piracy’… ‘member state’. Daily Express, 5 July 1976.
16. ‘any inquiries’… ‘had happened’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, pp. 176–7.
17. Amin… categorically denied. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, No. 233 of 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2055.
18. ‘had been dragged’… ‘own losses’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, No. 225 of 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913.
19. ‘access to Mrs Bloch’. Draft cipher telegram from FCO to British High Commission in Kampala, 5 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/913.
20. A day after… into the ground. ‘Israelis Honor Slain Commander’, Associated Press, in Abilene Reporter-News, 7 July 1976.
21. ‘There are times’… ‘of innocents’. Hastings, Yoni, pp. 233–5.
22. ‘for the sole benefit’… ‘rejected by France’. Goldberg, Namesake, pp. 132–4.
23. ‘many more hostages’… ‘same thing’. Author interview with Ilan Hartuv, op. cit.
24. Hartuv’s written deposition… open court. Ibid.
25. ‘It’s a moral victory’. New York Times, 5 July 1981.
26. ‘the Palestinians’… ‘the government’. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, No. 263 of 8 July 1976, TNA, FCO 31/2056.
27. Uganda’s foreign minister… to be adopted. Maintenance of international peace and security, Chapter VIII, pp. 286–90, http://www.un.org/en/sc/repertoire/75-80/Chapter%208/75-80_08-15-Complaint%20by%20the%20Prime%20Minister%20of%20Mauritius.pdf.
28. Arriving back… had been found. Crosland, Tony Crosland, p. 351.
29. The British High Commission… mark the spot. Robert Verkaik, ‘Revealed: The fate of Idi Amin’s hijack victim’, Independent, 13 February 2007.
30. Hearing the news… ‘out of Uganda’. Crosland, Tony Crosland, p. 351.
31. ‘negotiating compensation’. G. R. Berridge, ‘The British Interests Section in Kampala, 1976–7’, January 2012, http://grberridge.diplomacy.edu.
32. ‘remained conspicuously’… later murdered. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 177.
33. Dora Bloch… fled from Uganda. ‘Dispute between Uganda and Kenya’, Keesing’s Record of World Events, vol. 22, August 1976.
34. The Kenyans… had hoped. Ibid.; Confidential memo of the meeting between Ted Rowlands, Minister of State at the FCO, and Kenyan High Commissioner, 28 July 1976, TNA, FCO 93/914.
35. ‘with deep regret’… 1946. ‘Great Britain severs diplomatic ties with Uganda’, San Bernardino County Sun, 29 July 1976.
36. ‘brutal’… ‘in Nicaragua’. Author skype interview with Gerd Schnepel, op. cit.; Email from Gerd Schnepel to the author, 11 November 2013.
37. ‘For most group members’… ‘West Germany’. Karcher, ‘Sisters in Arms?’, pp. 240–1.
38. The events at Entebbe… ‘an old story’. Paul Berman, Power and the Idealists: Or, the Passion of Joschka Fischer and its Aftermath (New York, 2007), pp. 58–60.
39. ‘incurable disease’… ‘Haddad died’. ‘Terrorism’s Godfather Is Dead’, Associated Press report, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 2 April 1978.
40. ‘He gave extreme’. Follain, Jackal, p. 144.
41. Many at the time… eventually died. Ami Pedahzur, The Israeli Secret Services and the Struggle against Terrorism (New York, 2010), pp. 61-2; Aaron J. Klein, Striking Back: The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel’s Deadly Response (New York, 2006), pp. 207-8. After Haddad’s death, the PFLP-EA was dissolved, though other splinter groups from the original PFLP continued to operate. Many of Haddad’s people joined a new group set up by Carlos the Jackal called the Organisation of Arab Armed Struggle. Its members included former RC terrorists Johannes Weinrich and Magadalena Kopp (who left Weinrich to marry Carlos in 1979). Carlos and Weinrich were finally arrested in the mid-1990s–the former in the Sudan and the latter in Yemen–and are currently serving life sentences for terrorist offences in France and Germany respectively.
42. On a spring morning… 24 May 1978. Ed Harriman, ‘The British connection’, New Scientist, 10 May 1979, pp. 432–5.
43. ‘He wanted to see’. Author interview with Charles Njonjo, op. cit.
44. ‘Amin might take’… trip was postponed. Pincher, Dangerous to Know, pp. 105-6.
45. After landing… ‘potty’. Author interview with Christina McKenzie, op. cit.; Pincher, Dangerous to Know, p. 106
46. Eventually a car… young boys. Author interview with Christine McKenzie, op. cit.; Pincher, Dangerous to Know, p. 106; David Ochami, ‘Ugandan agents killed former Cabinet minister, says dossier’, Standard (Nairobi), 23 January 2013; Hornby, Kenya, p. 319.
47. ‘at those against’. Kyemba, A State of Blood, p. 179.
48. Six weeks after… spinal x-rays. Cipher telegram from British High Commission in Kampala to FCO, No. 155 of 30 May 1979, TNA, FCO 93/2110.
49. As the New Year’s Eve… Entebbe Raid. New York Times, 9 January 1981.
1. ‘a small handpicked’… Delta Force. John C. Frederiksen, Fighting Elites: A History of U.S. Special Forces (New York, 2011), pp. 154–7.
2. ‘the best illustration’. William H. McRaven, Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare Theory and Practice (New York, 1995), p. 378.
3. ‘In a world’… ‘Second World War’. Max Hastings, Going to the Wars (London, 2000), p. 250.
4. ‘pride’… ‘plus 20’. Author interview with Ephraim Sneh, op. cit.
5. ‘These Days’. Judy Lash Baling, ‘Remembering Entebbe’, 3 July 2001, in http://www.jerusalemdiaries com/article/6
6. ‘This spectacular operation’… ‘been forgotten’. Jonathan Khayat and Kobi Cohen, in Live or Die in Entebbe, op. cit.
7. ‘It was double-edged’… ‘something else’. Author interview with Emma and Claude Rosenkovitch, op. cit.