Veterans of Israel’s most famous secret operation, the Entebbe raid, boycotted its commemoration ceremony due to the attendance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ceremony, which was hosted by President Isaac Herzog, was meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the operation.

Reasons for the Boycott

The veterans, including the deputy commander of the operation, Matan Vilnai, boycotted the ceremony in protest of Netanyahu’s policies, particularly his handling of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The veterans also accused Netanyahu of enabling mass draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, while reservists serve repeated combat tours on multiple fronts.

Uri Sagi, a former military intelligence chief who commanded Golani forces in the 1976 raid, wrote on social media that he refused to sit alongside Netanyahu, citing a matter of conscience. Benny Davidson, who was rescued from Entebbe as a 13-year-old, also avoided the ceremony, saying he would not be part of a display that covers a collapse of values and leadership.

Legacy of the Entebbe Raid

The Entebbe raid, also known as Operation Yonatan, was a daring mission in which Israeli commandos rescued 102 hostages held by Palestinian and German hijackers. The operation has become a symbol of Israel’s promise to protect its citizens and bring them home. However, the legacy of the operation is now fraught, mirroring Israel’s deep internal divisions.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir drew a line from 1976 to the present war, speaking of the compass that has guided Israel since the Entebbe raid. However, many of the operation’s veterans disagree with Netanyahu’s policies and feel that the country has become something they did not fight for.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.