Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, marked the 50th anniversary of Operation Entebbe by emphasizing that the 1976 rescue mission remains a defining example in the global fight against terrorism. In an interview with ANI, Azar stated that the operation demonstrated that terrorism can be defeated through determination, teamwork, and innovation.
Operation Entebbe: A Historic Rescue Mission
Operation Entebbe, officially codenamed Operation Thunderbolt and later retroactively named Operation Yonatan, was a highly sophisticated, long-range hostage rescue mission executed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on July 3-4, 1976, at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. The mission successfully freed 102 out of 106 remaining hostages, marking one of the most celebrated counter-terrorism achievements in modern military history.
Azar called the operation an "inspiring moment" in history, reflecting Israel's unwavering commitment to not surrender to terrorism and to do everything possible to rescue innocent civilians held hostage. He said, "It was an inspiring moment in history, especially in the struggle against terrorism - a commitment not to surrender to terrorism and to do whatever it takes with conviction, teamwork, imagination, and creativity to bring back innocent civilians who have been taken hostage."
Lessons for the World
Azar highlighted that since 1976, terrorism has evolved in dangerous ways, but the lesson from Entebbe remains relevant. He added, "Since then, terrorism has developed in very dangerous ways. But we are here to continue the combat against terrorism because we know who to draw a lesson from. No doubt that Entebbe gave a lesson to us and to the world that defeating terrorism is possible."
The envoy also noted the evolution of international counter-terrorism efforts over the past five decades. Many countries have adopted similar approaches, and Israel has strengthened cooperation with partners worldwide in areas such as technology, intelligence-sharing, tactical development, and joint training.
Deepening Israel-India Counter-Terrorism Partnership
Azar underscored the growing counter-terrorism partnership between India and Israel, saying bilateral cooperation in the field continues to deepen. He stated, "Since then, many countries have adopted similar approaches. We have been working with many partners around the world to develop the technologies that are needed to develop the tactics, to do joint training, to gather intelligence, etc. We are very satisfied that we have very good counter-terrorism cooperation with India, and we are upgrading it all the time. We just had here last week the visit of our Director General of the Ministry of Defense, and we are moving forward to develop the solutions that we need to meet the challenges of the future."
The operation's legacy continues to inspire counter-terrorism strategies globally, with Israel and India working closely to address emerging threats through enhanced collaboration and innovation.
