Part 1 | Raid on Entebbe (1977)

It sounds like you're looking for a description of Raid on Entebbe, the 1977 television movie retelling the real‑life 1976 raid in Uganda. Here's a clear summary:


🎬 Raid on Entebbe (1977)

Director: Irvin Kershner

Broadcast on: NBC (original airing January 9, 1977)

Runtime: Approximately 150 minutes (2h 30m)

Format: Dramatic TV movie based on the true story of Israel’s Operation Thunderbolt (a.k.a. Operation Entebbe)


Plot Overview

In June–July 1976, an Air France Airbus flight from Tel Aviv to Paris is hijacked by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (plus accomplices). After making stopovers—including Athens and Benghazi—the hijackers divert the plane to Entebbe Airport in Uganda, where the country’s dictator, Idi Amin, offers support.

The hijackers release non‑Israeli passengers, then demand prisoner exchanges in return for the Israeli and Jewish hostages, prompting a major political and moral crisis for Israel.

Inside Israel, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (played by Peter Finch) and defense officials debate whether to negotiate—or instead plan a high‑risk rescue. They ultimately decide on a top‑secret military raid, codenamed Operation Thunderbolt, to be executed on the Jewish Sabbath—over 2,500 miles from home.

Charles Bronson portrays Brig. Gen. Dan Shomron, the commanding officer of the raid force; Yaphet Kotto gives a memorable portrayal of Idi Amin, while Horst Buchholz plays the lead hijacker Wilfried Böse.

The Israeli commandos board four C‑130 Hercules transports, covertly fly into Entebbe, and land at the airport. Using a replica black Mercedes to impersonate Amin’s motorcade, they achieve near‑complete surprise. Once inside, intense close‑quarters combat ensues. The operation ends with all seven terrorists killed, 45 Ugandan soldiers neutralized, and the hostages freed.

Tragically, the breach unit commander Yonatan Netanyahu (brother of future PM Benjamin Netanyahu) dies, along with three hostages. A fourth hostage, Dora Bloch, is later murdered in a Kampala hospital on Idi Amin’s orders. On the return flight, Israeli forces also destroy Ugandan MiGs to prevent retaliation before flying via Nairobi back to Israel.


Themes & Reception

The film emphasizes the dramatic tension of both military precision and political decision‑making, set against the moral weight of not negotiating with terrorists. It also highlights the controversial decision to conduct the raid during the Jewish Sabbath.

Critics appreciate its historical importance and ensemble cast—but note that as a 1970s TV production it lacks modern cinematic polish, and performances (especially from Bronson) received mixed feedback.

Other Film Adaptations of Operation Entebbe

If you're interested in different cinematic treatments of the same event:

**Victory at Entebbe** (ABC, 1976) – Produced and aired just months after the actual raid

**Operation Thunderbolt** (Israeli production, 1977)