7 Days in Entebbe (2018) - full transcript

Inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted.

Move. Over there.

Everybody, this is a hostage situation.

Nobody move. Nobody move.

If you all stay in your seats and
do not move, no one will be harmed.

But if anybody tries anything,
I will throw this grenade.

Nobody move. Everyone, stay in your seats.
Don't move. I have a bomb.

Sit down. Sit. Sit.

I've got the cabin under control.

It's four of us.
We've got weapons and bombs.

If you try anything, you'll die.

- Comrade 39, is the cabin secured?
- Cabin is secured.



Stay in your seats
and nobody try anything.

Everyone in here,
get into the back cabin now.

Move. Take nothing with you. Move. Move.

FarangSiam thanks you. Enjoy!

- Who's the captain?
- I am.

You two, out.

I'm the flight engineer. I'm needed here.

You, out.

Go. Hurry. Drop your bags.
Go. Faster. Come on. Come on.

- Go.
- Go.

- You too.
- Okay. Okay.

Faster.

Come on.

If we don't have good schools,
a good health system,



if we don't invest in our own culture,

what are we fighting for?

We cannot allocate
all the taxpayers' money

to your ministry, Shimon.

The defense budget is already
31% of the GDP.

A raise of 10% in four years.

In my personal assessment,

the 10% increase in military spending
is the minimum that we need.

Anything less would be
a dereliction of our duty.

Now, this is not about a choice,
gentlemen.

This is compulsory.
This is about the survival

of Israel.

As the Yom Kippur War proved

our intelligence capabilities
are also lacking.

We don't have the assets on the ground.

We need more agents.
We need to buy more influence.

The Russians have massively increased
military aid to Egypt.

Syria is also rearming.

There are Russian military personnel...

...consequences will be catastrophic.

We cannot allocate money
to health and education

when we are being driven into the sea
by our enemies.

You are required to hand over
all documents

that give evidence of your identity.

Anyone who is caught
holding back any papers

will be punished without mercy.

Come on, everyone.
Give me your passport and ID card, too.

Passport.

Passport.

Passport. ID.

Come on. Give me your ID card too.

Okay.

There are 239 passengers on board.

83 are Israeli.

Legally, it's a French problem.

It's their airliner.
Mostly their citizens.

If it's a hijack, we'll make sure
the press understands that.

I can call the editors. It's a hijack.

They'll fly back here to challenge us.

They always do.

Amos,

Prime Minister,

this is our problem.

You mean, it's my problem, Shimon?

Uh...

- Sit down.
- No.

Excuse me... Sit down.

My daughter really needs
to go to the bathroom.

You?

- Yeah.
- You need to go?

Hurry up.

I need to go too.
You can stay sitting down.

Miss.

Your blouse is open.

Don't try and break the undercarriage.

If you do, we'll die together.

Don't worry. I'll do a kiss landing.

Reverse.

Check.

Good, Captain.

Why is this taking so long?

Unless you tell me where we're going,
I'm gonna need five or six of these.

Okay.

Get back inside the plane.

If you want to fly on
and if you want to be safe,

I need to do my pre-flight checks.

I need to check the wheels,
the brakes and the engine.

You should be taking care
of those people inside.

They've been on this plane five hours now.

They need food and drinks.

You will run?

You have my word I won't.

And you don't want to be holding that
next to a fuel truck.

Are you a member of Baader-Meinhof?
Fill up the plane, engineer.

Do your job.

- Jaber.
- Brigitte. Juan Pablo.

Hello.

Hijacking a plane?

That is a serious step.

What's in it for us?

Let's just see what Jaber has to say. Sit.

Your movement is under pressure.

Your support is fading.

Many of your colleagues are in jail.

An action like this can inspire
a new generation to follow you.

The PFLP will call for the release
of 50 Palestinian prisoners.

We could also demand
the release of some of our friends.

If we do this,
we can demand anything we want.

We can demand that
Ulrike Meinhof is on the list.

- They will never release Ulrike.
- Like I said,

if we do this right,

they have to do whatever we want.

Aim.

Fire.

Böse.

We need to talk.

Ulrike Meinhof is dead.
She killed herself.

Your movement is dying.

She cut her hair.

No. She quit.

And that poses a problem.

Which problem?

His father and his mother,

his sister and his wife
and their children,

they were all in a camp in Lebanon.

Israelis raided it,

killed people, dynamited the houses.

They tried to escape.

They were in a car,
an Israeli tank drove over it.

All of them died.

That's how I know that he's committed.

How do I know that you're committed now
your comrades are dead?

She would never hang herself.

She was murdered by the state.

And if we return to Germany,
we will be murdered too.

It's all the more important
that we continue.

For Ulrike. And for your family.

At the airport, Jaber will be in command.

I will stay in Kampala
and liaise with President Amin.

Ugandans will control the perimeter
of the airfield and the building.

You will all stay inside.

You must be careful in these situations.

You must keep your distance
from the passengers.

Emotional attachment
can be really dangerous,

particularly for women.

I am a revolutionary.

Would you like some water?

Would you like some water?
Would you like some water?

Would you like some water for the kids?

Would you like some water?

- I don't feel well.
- What do you mean?

I... I'm pregnant.

- I think I'm having a miscarriage.
- Okay.

I'm gonna try to find you a doctor, okay?

Yeah.

Miss, she doesn't feel well.
She really needs to see a doctor.

- What is the problem?
- She thinks she's losing her baby.

Uh, miss, I'm a nurse. Maybe I can help?

You can wait.

Which month?

Two. Two months.

Where are you from?

England.

We will call an ambulance.

We don't want to hurt anyone.

We're humanitarians.

Come with me.

She's fooling you.

It's better to show mercy, comrade.

I'm losing my baby.

Good luck.

No radio.

We have to speak to air traffic control
for clearance.

The runway's empty.
They know we're leaving. Just take off.

- We need to know...
- Take off.

Set thrust.

Set.

The Libyans refueled them
and let them take off again.

Qaddafi doesn't want this
to be his problem either.

How much fuel?

At least five hours.

Tel Aviv is in range.

They'll land at Ben Gurion.

They want the world to watch.

There is one other thing.

They've released a passenger.

Er, there were two Arabs.

Palestinians, I think.

And two Germans. A man and a woman.

Why did they let you off the plane?

I lied. I told them I was pregnant.

Did they say where they are going?

This whole operation is nonsense.

We never talked about going to Uganda.

Idi Amin is crazy.

He eats people.
He feeds them to the crocodiles.

We're putting our lives
in the hands of a lunatic.

Once we get to Uganda, we're safe.

The Israelis have no choice.
They have to negotiate.

It's Checkmate.

And what happens if they don't negotiate?

They...

They...

They have to.

Or we kill the hostages.

Yes.

You have to kill people.

Germans killing Jews.

Have you thought about that?

Ulrike Meinhof is dead because of me.

- That is not true.
- It's true.

I trusted someone I shouldn't have,
and she was arrested.

And now she's dead.

If you're having doubts,

you should leave.

Do you want me to leave?

Welcome to Entebbe, Uganda.

I haven't had the time up until now
to explain the reasons

for hijacking an Air France plane.

Despite the belief of many
that France has a pro-Arab policy,

it is one of the first countries
in the rank of Palestinian enemies.

France has cooperated with Mossad.

France has sold planes to Israel.

France has given Israel help
in building atom bombs.

Palestine has no atom bombs,
no army and no weapons.

The Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine must utilize other means

to focus the attention of the world
on the Palestinian people's struggle.

We call upon revolutionary
movements everywhere

to unite against Israel,

a fascist, Zionist and racist state.

Israel has exploited
the humanistic sentiments of its people

to inhuman ends.

She's the heir of Nazism.

I would ask that you remain calm.

We Will not do you any harm.

And we Will not kill you.

We 're not assassins,

and we do not want to commit
a pointless massacre.

You will spend tonight on the plane.

Tomorrow, we move to the terminal.

We know you have a choice of airlines.

Thank you for flying Air France.

We hope to see you again very soon.

Now you know how the mind
of a crazy German revolutionary works.

Captain.

Open the door.

Get back.

Mind the step.

This is the biggest plane
this airport has ever seen.

Boni,

you should see the faces of the passengers
after your speech.

- What?
- They are terrified.

- What did he say?
- You don't wanna know.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Welcome to Uganda.

I am His Excellency,
AI Hajj Field Marshal Dr. Idi Amin Dada,

holder of the British Victoria
Cross, DSO, CMV, MC,

appointed by God almighty as your savior.

Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.

I am the hero of Africa.

And I am your hero.

We will take care of your every need.

And we hope very much
that you will enjoy your stay

in our beautiful country.

And everything will be taken care of.

You are in good hands.

Please. Please. Step inside.

Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.

Come on.

< Ja. >

- We did it.
- Well done.

- Well done.
- When do we start to negotiate?

Relax, comrade. You've done a good job.

It's up to us now.

We know the Israelis very well.

We know how they think,
how they operate, how they work.

We'll handle the negotiations.

If you have any problems,
just talk to Jaber.

Jaber.

Your job is to watch the passengers.

Both of you.

4,000 kilometers.

No hijacker has ever taken
a plane this far away

from the operational sphere
of our armed forces.

It must be Haddad.

Prime Minister,
you can't give in

or every Israeli they target
will be taken to another country.

Defense Minister,

your job is to come up
with military options for going to Africa.

Once you have a viable one,

I'll decide what to do.

Any questions?

Amos will coordinate
an emergency committee.

As soon as we get the demands,
we'll meet again.

You know this is not Peres' problem.

It's your face on the
front of every newspaper.

If it's Haddad,
he's going to demand the release

of every terrorist in our jails.

Well, you can't release them.

That's political suicide.

I know that.

How is this going to work?

How is this going to work?

This place is filthy.
We got children here.

I'll have it cleaned.

And they'll bring mattresses.

It's all gonna be fine.

Don't worry.

Why should I believe
a crazy German revolutionary?

Everything will become clear.

Everything.

Turn it back on.

You still sleep with your lights on?

Go to bed.

< Ja. >

Israel is a fascist state
and true anti-fascism means clear

and simple solidarity
with the Palestinians.

Stop quoting these slogans.

Germans hijacking a planeload of Israelis.
Jews.

How do you think
the world's going to react?

You know, the only thing we have to face
is the fact that German people

cannot analyze the conflict
in the near east

because we're all paralyzed by guilt.

West Germany is a fascist society,
Juan Pablo.

Perhaps it doesn't appear so to you,
but those who are in charge

are the same ones
who were in charge under Nazism.

And their guilt has provided the funds

which have allowed Israel to develop
into an imperialist military base.

We can't just read these books.

We need to become them.

Annihilation is for adolescents.

There's a right of revolution against
political oppression and social injustice.

You are not oppressed.
You have a business.

There's a right of revolution
against capitalism.

You are a capitalist The bourgeois.
We all are.

If that is what you think
then we have to act

and we have to act now.

I do not know what you are scared of,
Juan Pablo.

I'm not scared of anything,

but maybe you should be.

I only fear a life without meaning.

Can I help you, madam?

I'm sorry. I don't speak German.
Just try...

Listen.

No. Please. Please. Don't do that.

What are you doing? No.

It's okay.

It's okay.

I don't understand
what you're saying. But...

Please, calm down. Calm down.

I don't understand what she's saying.

Two Germans.

Yes.

It's sad.

But they're revolutionaries.

Seven hours now. No news.

This time it's different.

They are doing what they are doing,
Yitzhak.

There is nothing you can do about it.

Get some sleep.

Any rescue force would have to approach
the old terminal, unnoticed. Look.

We can put the men on a Hercules
and land at the airport at night.

- Without runway lights?
- Yeah.

That's great.

I don't think Rabin will go for that.

What if we drop
a small parachute force instead?

Parachute force would be dispersed over
too large an area.

So we could use Lake Victoria.

Fly the parachute in
with inflatable boats at night.

Or across from Kenya.

Ehud, there are crocodiles
in Lake Victoria.

Plus, it's impossible to come all
the way across the lake from Kenya

in rubber boats, unnoticed.

This is not a drill, okay?

It's the real world.

Motta,

why don't we send in the commandos,
take the airport

and then wait to hear from Amin?

Well,

if we wanna take control of the airport,

gonna have to use a much bigger force.

Could you run some numbers for me?

I want to present a plan tomorrow.

Also, call special forces unit to base.

Of course, Defense Minister.

- Thank you.
- No problem.

I think I know why
Rabin wanted Motta here.

He wants to stop us from coming
up with a viable military option.

That way, he doesn't have
to make a decision.

He wants to blame you for this crisis.

That's politics.

You know, I wish I could do that.

There was a phone call.

They want you back at the base tomorrow.

When is the premiere?

It's not about that.
You know I have no choice here, right?

Sarah, I have to go. It's my job.

- There's always a choice.
- That's not true.

What choice do those hostages have?

If you think you have no choice,
you're a hostage too.

Sarah.

Dancing, it's like life.

You get hurt, you retract. That's okay.

But if you become so afraid
that you're always guarded,

and never take a leap of faith,

you won't be able to dance.

Again.

From the beginning.

Listen.

All of you over here, stand up.

Everyone, close your books,
put your cards down.

- It's time to move now.
- Come over here.

- Come on. Hurry up.
- We need you to take all your belongings.

Move over there. Move the chairs.

- Everything. Move, move, move.
- It's all good. It's all good.

- Thank you.
- Move off in an orderly way.

And the jacket. Whose jacket is that?
Please move everything.

- Leave nothing behind.
- We're doing this to create more space.

It's all good. It's too crowded in here.

Okay.

When you hear your name,

you stand up,

come, collect your passport
and go to the other room.

Almog, Ezra.

Cohen, Pasco

< Yalla, yalla. > Come on.
Come on. Fast, fast, fast. Come here.

Steinberg, Mark.

Yalla, yalla.

Abrams, Isaac.

...for the Liberation of Palestine
passport.

Go to that room.

Open your bag.

Open your bag.

Bergman, Aaron.

Hurry up. Hurry up.

- What is this?
- < Yalla >, everybody.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Bloch, Dora.

Cohen, Hanna.

No... Excuse me. No, no.

I... I have children.
I can't leave my children.

Hurry up. I must protest against this.

You can't be doing this. This is not...

- ...passport.
- Hey! Shut up.

Sit. Down. Down.

Down. Shut up!

We didn't agree to this. I'm not a Nazi.
Watch the passengers.

- Watch the passengers.
- Sit down.

- I wanna talk to Haddad.
- Later.

We talk about this now.

- We talk about this now.
- Watch the passengers.

We talk about this later.

Now, shut the fuck up, all of you.

Anyone who tries to resist me
will be shot.

Do you understand?

All of you, now.

Abbuch, Ian.

Next.

Mayeth, Sarah.

Mayeth, Abraham.

Elbaz, Maurice.

Get in, boy. Move.

Ullman, Rebecca.

Israeli.

Why do you have French passport
and Israeli ID card?

I'm a French citizen.
I was working in Israel.

And I've got that ID card
which I handed in

- with my passport.
- You are soldier.

- No. I'm French.
- You are spy.

Wait. No, I'm a French citizen.

- All right.
- Move. Move.

- He's French.
- He's your friend?

Yes.

Then you go through there, too.

For this plan to succeed,

we need to use a big enough force
to seize control of the airport.

First we use the commandos,
kill the terrorists,

secure the hostages.

Then we fly in reinforcements.

Heavy weaponry.

At least 1,000 men.

You want to invade Uganda, Shimon?

We give it back to them when we leave.

We cannot invade a country

that is a member of the UN
and the African League.

And it is impossible
to move a force of that size

4,000 kilometers, undetected.

We have to act.

There could be no negotiations
with terrorists.

I'm talking to the chief of staff, Shimon.

The soldier, not the politician.

I have to agree with the Prime Minister.

We need to find out
if Amin is helping them.

You were in Uganda, right?

- You dealt with him?
- I trained his army, yes.

I'd like to assume
he's not gonna declare war on France.

Having said that,
the man is absolutely crazy.

He might have a dream,

some kind of vision
and anything can happen.

I can try, call him.

If Amin is on the terrorists' side,
we may have to negotiate.

Prime Minister,
they are asking for 52 terrorists.

Israel cannot capitulate. It cannot.

They're gonna start killing the hostages
the day after tomorrow.

Call Amin. I want to know where he stands.

They've moved the Jews together
at the old terminal at Entebbe.

They've surrounded them
with high explosives.

They have TNT on the plane
and all around the building.

Even on their bodies.

They said they will commit suicide
with the hostages.

Tell your government
there is nothing I can do.

But, Your Excellency,
this is your country.

You have an opportunity to go down
in history as a great man.

The man who saved these people.
This is a great opportunity, sir,

given to you by God.

All the terrorists want is for you
to send your prisoners here.

Don't listen to those from the PFLP
sitting beside you.

You are offending me, old friend.

All I'm trying to do,
is make sure the hostages are safe.

I'm sorry, Your Excellency,
but please consider what I'm saying.

Don't miss this opportunity

to show the people
who say bad things about you,

what a great man you are.

Actually, I think this will get you
the Nobel Prize for peace.

Uh, Your Highness?

Your Highness?

Why would the PFLP want us
to fly their prisoners to Uganda?

I think that's Amin, not the Palestinians.

He wants to be there when
the prisoners are released.

He wants to show the Soviets and
the Arabs that he's with them now.

He wants their approval,
their support, their arms.

The five million dollars.

If the Ugandans are with the terrorists,

this operation will have
to be even bigger.

I spoke to Kissinger.

He said it's better if everybody dies
than we negotiate.

Yeah. Well, if it's not a French problem,

then it's even less
of an American problem, Shimon.

Let's do the only thing we can do.

No. Wait, please.

Yitzhak.

Shimon, let me explain
the situation as it stands.

We have no intelligence.

We only know
the hostages are in the terminal.

Nothing else.

What if they moved them around last night?

What if now we have people
sitting in the middle of them

with guns and grenades?

As soon as they know we're coming,

they start to kill the men,
the women, the children.

So, they're selecting Jews
and you want to negotiate.

Shimon,

if we don't negotiate,
if we never negotiate,

if we're always at war,

then we'll make our country a prison

and every one of our citizens
will be a prisoner.

Our enemies are our neighbors.

We can't get away from them.

One day, we have to talk
and to make peace.

Thank you, gentlemen.

How did they know you were here?

He guessed.

The spirits warned my mother.
I should've never offended the Israelis.

- We should've listened to my mother.
- To your mother?

Release some of the hostages.

It will appease the French
and make things easier at the airport.

Here.

This is Idi Amin's car.

Now, all the officials in Uganda
use a black Mercedes limousine.

All right.

If we approach the terminal in one,

the terrorists would think
Amin is coming to talk to the hostages.

That gives us the element of surprise.

Get me a limo there.

We'll get the job done.

Benny, what do you think?

We can put the Mercedes in a Hercules
with Sayeret Matkal,

- land the plane at the new terminal.
- Good.

They drive the Mercedes
to the old terminal,

kill the terrorists,

put the hostages on a plane,

- fly back.
- Perfect.

Now, to do that,
we need to control the whole area.

Both terminals.

And what do you need?

- Three companies of soldiers...
- Dan, please.

Two companies of soldiers,

armor and heavy weapons.

That will be four planes.

Right. Move fast.

Keep all units on alert.

Rabin is already talking to the French.

Okay. We have new orders.
Come down.

Let's go.

Yes. Yes.

Please.

We wish you a pleasant journey.

Come and enter the bus. Enter the bus.

And when you arrive at your destination,

please, tell them

that the president of Uganda
guaranteed your safety.

Mother, I'm your friend.

- Please say a prayer for...
- I don't want to leave.

I would like to offer my place

to one of the Israeli people
who are being held.

That will not be possible.

I'm not going to go.

Please, get inside the bus.

No. I'm not going to go.

She's confused.

Please help her get inside the bus.

- No.
- Help her.

- I'm going to stay.
- Help her.

- Get in, madam.
- No. I want to stay.

- Get in.
- Please.

I want to stay.

Shalom.

I'm afraid I'm not
the bearer of glad tidings.

I promised I would do everything
in my power to have you released.

But they haven't heard
from your government yet.

The deadline is 24 hours away.

I'm very worried about you.

These men bear no grudge against you.

Only against your fascist
Israeli government.

But if your government do not negotiate,

they will kill two children,

every 24 hours,

starting with these two.

How can you do this?

Standing here with your machine gun.

These are little children.

We have soldiers.

If you have to fight,
you fight our soldiers.

I don't want a coffee.

Zeev, you have a phone call.

Just wish I could be there.

You can't make it?

I got the part I wanted.

Hey, that's great.

I'm happy for you.

Will you be safe?

I don't wanna talk about that.

Have you been thinking of me?

No. I mean, you know, it...

Sarah, people you love, sometimes

thinking of them, it, um...

It doesn't help.

Yeah.

I know what you mean.

Have you been practicing
on your shooting range?

Yes.

Every day.

Good.

Who was that?

It was my girlfriend.

Is she in the military?

No, she's not.

If you wanna be with her,

you need to get her to join the army.

Otherwise,
it's better you leave her alone.

- What do you mean?
- I mean exactly what I say.

Trust me. I know.

The Palestinian hijackers released 48
of their hostage airline passengers.

But they stood nervously
holding machine guns

on the remaining 209

and threatened to kill them all
and to blow up a French airliner

unless their demands are met.

The 48 passengers
they let go left for Paris,

Where they arrived a short time ago.

John Palmer was there at the airport.

The VIP lounge here at Orly Airport
has been cordoned off by police,

and the waiting room inside is crowded
with many relatives and friends

waiting to greet
the newly-released hostages.

Many of them, of course,
all of them on this flight

consider themselves
very lucky indeed to be alive.

Excuse me.

You must know how this looks
to the rest of the world.

Yeah, I know how this looks.

But it's not the reality.

I'm not responsible
for the actions of my compatriots.

- You are repeating their actions.
- No, I'm not.

I'm not the oppressor.

I believe in the rights
of the Palestinian people.

They have no homeland.

Have you ever seen
a Palestinian refugee camp?

Have you seen how these people live?

Have you seen their children?

So for them,

you are willing to exterminate
those people down there?

We have to help them.

What do you do? What's your job?

You're not a soldier.

I'm a publisher.

I publish revolutionary texts.

Have you ever published
any books about plumbing?

Not yet.

Dignity is all people want.

Dignity comes when you are free.

Running water makes you free.

Toilet makes you free.

One plumber is worth 10 revolutionaries.

Do you ever think
you're wasting your life?

No.

Do you?

I'm an engineer. I can make things.

One engineer is worth 50 revolutionaries.

Jaber.

What is this, a holiday camp now?

They are children, < halima >.

The pressure on
the Israeli government was tremendous,

especially from within the country.

Relatives of the Israeli hostages held
an emotional meeting

with government representatives
this morning.

They didn't care that
Israel has a basic policy

of not dealing with terrorists.

Late in the morning,
they stormed the government compound,

overwhelming military police in an effort
to get at Prime Minister Rabin

and tell him what they thought.

The families want the hostages released,

but as an Israeli politician,

you can't afford
to negotiate with terrorists.

That's right.
That's what I've become.

Prime Minister.
We want to speak to the Prime Minster.

He owes us an explanation.

Wait here.

Everybody, calm down!

Mr. Ambassador,
this is the Prime Minister.

I would like you to tell the French

that we're going to make
an offer to the terrorists.

To everyone's surprise, the Israelis today

reversed their normal policy and
agreed to negotiate with the hijackers.

The hijackers put off their deadline
to 8:00 am. Sunday,

after Israel broke
its long-standing policy

and agreed to negotiate.

The difference of opinion in Israel

is not over whether the hostages
should be released,

but over whether releasing terrorists
from jail here

is too high a price to pay for it.

Tonight, 3 special series of prayers
began at the Western Wall

and at most synagogues.

Prayers which expressed
the hope that the government

made the right decision
on the negotiations,

and that the Israeli and Jewish hostages
will indeed come out of Uganda safely.

- What the hell are you doing?
- What?

You left your gun lying on the wall.

- One of the Jews could have picked it up.
- Relax, man.

- The Israelis have surrendered.
- They have not surrendered.

What if this is a trick?

What if they are buying more time?

- We have to be ready.
- Okay. Okay.

Why are you here?

I want to throw bombs
into the consciousness of the masses.

And what if you have to throw
a real bomb, my friend?

Have you killed?
You think you can do it?

You choose to pick up arms and fight.

You choose to come here.

You could have a nice life in Europe.

I wish I had your life.

I would not pick up a gun.

Only people with nothing understand.

The Jews understand.

When your people massacred them,
the ones who survived had nothing.

They brought their debts to Palestine.

They brought their shame and humiliation.

They did what was done to them, to us.

But I didn't do it to them.

You did it to them.

You are here because
you hate your country.

I'm here because I love mine.

Are you ready to kill?

Are you ready to die?

If this negotiation is a trick,
we start killing immediately.

Immediately.

We can fly down over
the Red Sea at low level

to avoid enemy radar.

When the last plane leaves at 23:45,
the runway lights stay on for 15 minutes.

- That's our window.
- Mmm.

The Ugandan soldiers
have nothing at stake.

Once they see us, and we get there,
they will start running.

Just a second, Dan.

You said you didn't have enough fuel,
right?

This is crucial.

Yeah, we're gonna have to refuel
on our way back home.

Sir, Kenya will be the best place
to do it.

Motta?

This operation is not gonna succeed.
This is a Charade, okay?

This is fantasy.

The Germans separated the Jews.

Selection, Motta.

We can't just sit here and do nothing.

These are my men.

If they die, it's my responsibility.

You know, Motta,

the Israeli soldiers are
the Prime Minister's responsibility.

Are you going to back me up on this,
Motta?

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

They're negotiating.

You think they're gonna call you back?

I don't think the operation
is gonna be approved,

but we have to practice.

Why does it have to be you?

How many times
are we gonna talk about this?

We can't just be at war all the time.

You're not at war all the time.
You're a dancer.

I fight so you can dance.

What if I stop dancing?

Yeah?

Calm down. Quiet. Quiet!

Listen, the Israeli government
has agreed to negotiate.

The deadline has been extended
until 11:00 am. On Sunday.

As a gesture of goodwill,
we have released all French nationals.

And then, once our comrades are freed,
you will all be free.

You can go back to the big room now.

Come on.

Come on.

Israel never negotiates.

No.

Where do you think you are going?

This is a letter for my wife.

Hurry up.

- Here.
- I'll take care of it.

- What is this? It's supposed to be black.
- Huh?

- Hey, it's the only color they had.
- Yeah.

You gotta be kidding me, right?

I want the best shooters of the unit
inside the Mercedes with me.

Gonna raid the terminal in five teams.

Joshua will lead the first team.

Muki, second team.

Zeev, third team.

Amos and Erlis, fourth and fifth.

We're gonna land here,
in the new terminal runway,

all the way to here.

We're gonna go out in
one Mercedes and two Land Rovers.

We're gonna drive all the way
to the old terminal.

We're gonna park under the tower,
hidden from sniper fire.

Surprise and speed is the key.

And if the Prime Minister
approves this mission, we will go.

The terrorists only need
a few minutes to kill everyone.

What if the first plane is identified
and attacked

before the rest of the force
has time to land and deploy?

They won't stand a chance.

And if it fails,

the blow to the IDF, to Israel will be

catastrophic.

Anyway, I am bound
by the cabinet's decision.

Yitzhak, you are the cabinet.

Rehearse it.

They already are.

Everybody, back to first position.

Give me the megaphone.

You stay in first. You go second.

You hesitated, again.

You go last.

Motta.

I'm going to recommend
the operation to Rabin and the cabinet,

if he says it's okay.

Can you do it, Yoni?

Is there anything blocking
their path to the hostages?

No, sir, there are no obstacles
around the terminal.

Nothing to stop our men
reaching the hostages.

I want a photograph of the regiment
before they leave.

Thank you.

There's nothing to stop
the operation from proceeding.

So, now you have to make a decision.

If I was still a general,
I would never approve this mission.

It's a huge risk.

There will be casualties,
you all know that.

What we cannot doubt is the mission.

We must complete our objective.

We need to get to the terminal
in three minutes,

kill all the terrorists,
and rescue the hostages.

And we don't stop for nothing
until all the hostages are safe.

We will take off
and get into striking range

while we wait for the cabinet's decision.

Let's go. Everybody on board.

Boni.

Prime Minister.

Prime Minister.

My position is well-known
to those in this room.

I am sure that the cabinet
will support your decision

and take collective responsibility...

Shimon, the plane's already left.

We'll call them back

if the cabinet decides
not to proceed with the operation.

Motta, do you recommend this operation
to the cabinet?

Yes, Prime Minister.

Gentlemen, Amos will now read a statement
and then we'll vote.

The government resolves to approve
implementation of a rescue operation

by the Israeli Defense Forces

to free the hostages at Entebbe.

According to the plan submitted
by the Defense Minister

and the Chief of Staff.

All those in favor?

So be it.

Operation Thunderbolt
will proceed as planned.

Tel Aviv Command Central.

Thunderbolt is a go.

I repeat. Thunderbolt is a go.

ETA Entebbe 2345 minus 4 hours, 32.

That's our door.

It's the fourth from the control tower.

Juan Pablo,

I wish I was at home with you.

I wish I was at home.

I don't know where my home is.

I think we need to find a home
when this is over.

Somewhere.

Somewhere peaceful.

Jaber thinks the Israelis will come,
and they'll kill us.

And then if that happens,
we'll have to make a statement.

And that's why we are here.

I'm worried about Böse.

He's scared.

He's weak, you know that.

They are all scared.

Even Jaber.

I'm not scared.

I see it.

I see everything now.

I think maybe you were right.

But if I never came here,

what would that mean?

No, there's nothing you can do.

There's nothing anyone can do.

There's no escape.

No escape.

I think maybe I shouldn't have come.

- I think maybe I shouldn't have come...
- Miss?

Those phones are not working.

There are other telephones over there.

Goodbye, Juan Pablo.

If the mission fails, submit it.

And what's your definition of failure,
Prime Minister?

Twenty-five hostages died at Ma'alot,
and it was a disaster.

This time around,

25 or less would be a success.

What's the status?

Last civilian flight just took off.

Should be landing in 10 minutes.

How about the radio communication?

There's lots of static,
but they're getting through.

So, so far so good.

Okay, gentlemen, this is it.

Okay.

As soon as we hit the terminal,
you start shooting the control tower.

- Okay.
- Yes?

Yeah.

Surprise and speed is the key.

Here we go.

They're reporting gunfire.

It's too early for gunfire.

Stop.

Is that Amin?

Whatever happens,

we did the right thing.

- It's the Israelis.
- I'll cover the door.

Cover the doors. Go, go, go!

Get down.

Everybody, get down!

Muki, go.

Go!

Damn it, take the door!

Come on, let's go!

- Everybody, down!
- Move forward!

Move forward! Move forward!

All right, let's go!
Everybody, down!

Move forward! Move forward!

- Stop. Stop.
- Don't shoot.

- Hostages!
- Grenade!

We are in the air.
We have 102 hostages safe onboard.

I repeat,
we have 102 hostages safe on board.

Congratulations on your success,
Prime Minister.

You saved 100 lives.

And we should be proud of that.

But if we cannot negotiate, Shimon,

this war will never end.