---
product_id: 66449897
title: "Operation Thunderbolt"
brand: "saul david"
price: "€ 42.72"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/66449897-operation-thunderbolt
store_origin: HR
region: Croatia
---

# Operation Thunderbolt

**Brand:** saul david
**Price:** € 42.72
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** Operation Thunderbolt by saul david
- **How much does it cost?** € 42.72 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/66449897-operation-thunderbolt)

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## Description

Operation Thunderbolt: Flight 139 and the Raid on Entebbe Airport, the Most Audacious Hostage Rescue Mission in History

## Images

![Operation Thunderbolt - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81bJzo6pIJL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Pamwe Chete
  

*by K***S on Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2016*

In military annals, few countries have achieved as many accomplishments in special warfare and intelligence-craft as has Israel. The Israelis have pulled off some stunning coups in the few decades of its existence and - of those - few have garnered more attention than the 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue.  Saul David's "Operation Thunderbolt" is a compelling recounting of the event, adding considerable details of planning and execution to the existing record.As is universally known, Israel has been locked in struggle with its numerous adversaries since the May, 1948 declaration of statehood. Of course, hostilities long preceded that event, but the nascent Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were able to preserve the state. The 1949 armistice lines de facto established its borders for many years.  In 1964, disorganized and disparate irregular warfare groups were gathered under the aegis of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), this in an effort to improve military prospects against the highly accomplished IDF.The PLO and various splinter factions eventually recognized that isolated armed action was only a component of a successful campaign: novelty and publicity were needed. To achieve that end, airline hijacking became a favored tactic in service of the larger goal of "defeating" Israel (however that may be defined). One sub-splinter group acting under the authority of Wadie Hadad acted in concert with a German extremist faction, the "Revolutionary Cells" and together, members of both groups hijacked an Air France jet and eventually landed it in Entebbe, Uganda. On the ground, they were warmly received by Idi Amin Dada, "Field Marshall" and state leader who actively collaborated in the affair from its inception.Confronted with a determined terrorist group sheltered and abetted in a distant, hostile country, the Israelis reacted to the threatened murder of a significant subset of passengers (namely, the Jewish/Israeli component plus the air crew) by planning negotiations for a hostage exchange: there was no other reasonable option. Yet, almost alone, Defense Minister Shimon Peres thought otherwise. Peres, even though not a professional soldier, advocated strongly for military action. He did this against the concerted, hostile opposition of Prime Minister Rabin, a man with military background. The conflicts between these two men, played out over the very short timeline until the hijackers' ultimatum expired, comprises a significant portion of David's book.Elements of the IDF, devised several plans. These were vetted and abandoned for various reasons, all carefully explained in "Thunderbolt". Only one option seemed reasonable: a flight of transport planes carrying a small number of commandos would attack the Old Terminal at Entebbe in a surprise raid. Fortunately, much intelligence on the Entebbe airport was available to the Israelis. Idi Amin was a former Israeli ally, one who proudly wore IAF paratrooper wings, despite not having earned them.  Old architectural plans for the Israeli-built terminal were updated with current intelligence as conveyed by released hostages and limited air photography. Based on limited data and Peres' relentless advocacy, the Israeli cabinet approved the operation.  As is well known, it was a success: two hostages died (at least one by "friendly fire") and one commando was killed (Yoni Netanyahu, brother of the current Israeli Prime Minister).The book reads quickly, especially the operational sections. It is well supplemented with maps and attack plans.  The logistical, intelligence, planning and deliberative details are all clearly and compellingly explained.The major shortcoming of the book is the extensive "imagined dialogue". For example, Yoni Netanyahu's interior monologue added the too detailed recitation of trivial recollections and irrelevant stories from inconsequential captives detract from the main story. The concluding chapter contains interesting interview information from a surviving member of the Revolutionary Cells and provides contextual detail on the collaboration. A particularly interesting section  on the disillusionment of many German extreme leftists (extracted from Paul Berman's book) with the entire "anti-Zionist" enterprise.Of course, the struggle goes on. The anti-Israeli terrorism palette no longer includes airline hijackings and the terrorists are no longer secular Marxist-Leninists. Nowadays, they are Islamists and generally disregard whatever moral constraints their predecessors exercised with respect to civilian mass casualties. Nonetheless, and as David notes, the Entebbe raid set a paradigm most countries attempt to follow: special forces raids to free hostages, destroy terrorist targets and deter by that tactic. Whether or not that approach works as part of a larger strategy is debatable, and it's not part of this book.  The reference standard remains the Israeli approach and, as might be said in the Shona dialect, "Pamwe Chete": all together, at least as pertains to Western special forces and terrorists and Israel commandos lead the way.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Heart-Pulsing.
  

*by D***N on Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2016*

The year is 1976. An air France plane with 248 passengers has been hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists. The aircraft has been landed in Entebbe, Uganda (over 2500 miles from Israel) where tyrant Idi Amin offers sanctuary to the terrorists.Their demands: release of 40 Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons, and an additional few from other free nations. Or else.What would you do? Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is in a bind, as there is understandable pressure on him from the families of the loved ones held captive in an airport terminal in Uganda. Does he negotiate with the terrorists, acquiescing to their demands? Or does he look into riskier options?Giving into the terrorists will undoubtedly cause Israel’s national prestige to plummet—as well as encourage more hijackings in the future. Release of deadly terrorists from prisons will almost guarantee more loss of life in the future. For statesman Shimon Peres there is only one option. “If we give into the terrorists, not even the faintest memory of us will remain.”Operation Thunderbolt is a brilliantly written narrative of the 1976 hijacking and the famous Special Forces raid that followed. It follows closely the personal accounts of passengers on the Air France plane, ministers of Israeli Defense, soldiers of the Unit, as well as many other global figures--giving the reader an incredible behind the scenes look as the drama unfolds.The book as a whole is: unbelievably tense, overwhelmingly tragic, absolutely immense. A truly enjoyable read.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    As an American follower of Israeli history and politics, this book did not disappoint!
  

*by G***J on Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2016*

As an American follower of Israeli history and politics, this book did not disappoint.  Very similar to the excellent "Six Days of War" by Michael Oren, this follows all aspects of the hijacking and rescue mission from all sides, including the Israeli government, the captives, a Kenyan government official, the French, British and others.  I knew the bullet points of the story (that there was a rescue, that a future politician's brother was killed) but I was amazed at the audacity of the rescue mission and the politics that went into launching.This book is the definitive work on this event.  You'll feel as if you're part of the captives, suffering through their separation by nationality, their intestinal distress and the horror (and then relief) from the rescue.  You'll see the tough debates had within the Israeli government about whether to negotiate or use the military options (and some of the other military options not used, including one involving 1000 soldiers).A must read.

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*Last updated: 2026-03-13*