1976 was marked by a dramatic hostage-rescue mission carried out by Israeli soldiers at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on July the 4th.
It began when an Air France plane carrying 248 passengers was hijacked by Palestinians.
Uganda's President Idi Amin arrived at the airport to show his support for the hijackers and even supplied them with soldiers and additional weapons.
The hijackers demanded the release of 53 militants held in jails in Israel and four other countries.
The rescue operation by elite Israeli troops – dubbed Thunderbolt - resulted in a 35-minute battle, in which 20 Ugandan soldiers and all seven hijackers died along with three hostages.
Five Israeli commandos were wounded in the rescue - and the unit leader Jonathan Netanyahu, older brother of the current Israeli PM, was killed.
Discover more at sbs.com.au/sbs50
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