No Mission Is Impossible (31 page)

The lost tribe returns on eagle's wings.
(Zvika Israeli, GPO)

Many Jews remained in Ethiopia, still aspiring to immigrate to Israel. Ethiopian Jewry's fight to “ascend” had left many behind. In Israel, too, Ethiopian Jews were forced to struggle hard to be absorbed into Israeli society, to be recognized as Jews, to achieve true equality and to adapt to a modern society, where the worldview and traditions by which they had lived for thousands of years came apart.

   
BENNY GANTZ, LATER THE IDF CHIEF OF STAFF

          
“I took part in numerous assignments during my military career, among them secret operations. My life has been in danger more than once: I've been shot at, crossed paths with terrorists, lost fighters and saw friends die next to me. But the mission of bringing the Jews of Ethiopia to Israel, in which I participated as a Shaldag commander, was the most important, from a national standpoint, of all the operations I've taken part in. This mission, in substance, encompasses the entire concept of a national home for the Jewish people. The idea that you can carry it out—that's Zionism. It wasn't a heroic mission of individuals. It was the heroic mission of a country.

              
“I'm a son of Holocaust survivors, and during the evacuation, I couldn't not think for a moment about what would have happened if we'd had a country back then; perhaps everything might have been different. How might European Jewry have looked? There, in Ethiopia, I realized that the state of Israel was doing something great and powerful.

              
“There's a memory that I carry with me to this day: we're landing in the dark, leaving the plane, which looks like a terrible monster, reaching people sitting, folded on the ground, wrapped in blankets, carrying them in our arms into the belly of the plane, the door closing, taking off, the pilots turning on the lights, and then our eyes meeting, so many eyes looking toward you in fright, and it's impossible to communicate with them.

              
“The thing that most bothered me about the operation was the moment when the first caravan of immigrants came toward
us on the airfield, and suddenly I could make out the stickers with numbers on their foreheads. That made me crazy, and I asked that the numbers be removed immediately.

              
“Since then, there've been moving moments of coming full circle. I met a singer in a military troupe who told me, moments before singing the national anthem, that she had been a baby during Operation Solomon.”

Yitzhak Navon (1921 to ): Ben Gurion's secretary since 1951, Navon became the fifth president of Israel (1978 to 1983) and later was elected minister of education and culture.

Yitzhak Rabin (1922 to 1995): Chief of staff (1964 to 1967). Ambassador to the U.S. Prime minister of Israel (1974 to 1977, 1992 to 1995). Was assassinated in November 1995.

David (“Dado”) Elazar (1925 to 1976): Commander of the Northern District in the Six Day War. Chief of staff (1972 to1974), was forced to resign after the Yom Kippur War by decision of the Agranat Board of Inquiry. Died of a heart attack (1976).

Uzi Eilam (1934 to ): Brigadier general in the IDF. Director general of the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission (1976 to 1985) and chief scientist and director (research and development) in the Ministry of Defense (1986 to 1997).

Moshe Dayan (1915 to 1981): Lieutenant general. Chief of staff (1953 to 1958). Minister of Agriculture (1959 to 1964). Minister of defense
(1967 to 1974). As minister of foreign affairs (1977 to 1979) he played a major role in negotiating the peace treaty with Egypt.

Ariel (“Arik”) Sharon (1928 to 2014): Major general. Commander of the Paratroopers Corps (1954 to 1957). Discharged from the IDF in 1973, minister of defense (1981 to 1983), removed from his position by the Kahan Board of Inquiry after the War in Lebanon (1982). Served in several ministerial positions, elected prime minister in 2001, and as such carried out Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip. After suffering a stroke in 2006, he remained in a coma until his death in 2014.

Meir Har-Zion (1934 to 2014): Captain. A founder of Unit 101, member of the first paratrooper battalion, was awarded the Medal of Courage, lived on a farm in the Gilboa mountains named after his sister Shoshana; died in 2014.

Aharon Davidi (1920 to 2012): Brigadier general. Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. Director and founder of Sar-El volunteer program of the IDF.

Shimon (“Katcha”) Kahaner (1934 to ): Colonel, member of Unit 101. Raises cattle on a farm in northern Israel, across the gully from his late friend Meir Har-Zion.

Mordechai (“Motta”) Gur (1930 to 1995): Lieutenant general. Commander of the 55th Paratroopers Reserve Brigade, which captured Jerusalem in the Six Day War (1967). Israel's military attaché in Washington (1972 to 1973). Chief of staff during Operation Entebbe (1976). Minister of health (1984 to l986). Deputy defense minister (1992 to 1997). Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he committed suicide with his handgun.

Yoash (“Chatto”) Zidon (1926 to 2015): Combat pilot and commander in the Israeli Air Force. The head of weapon system and planning in the IAF. Member of Knesset (1988 to 1992).

Ezer Weizman (1924 to 2005): Major general, commander of the IAF (1958 to 1966). Minister of defense (1977 to 1980). Seventh president of Israel (1993 to 2000). Died at home in Caesarea.

Rafael (“Raful”) Eitan (1929 to 2005): Lieutenant general. Chief of staff (1978 to 1983). Established the right-wing political party Tzomet. Deputy prime minister (1998 to 1999) then retired. Swept by a wave into the sea from Ashdod's wharf during a severe storm.

Shimon Peres (1923 to ): Defense ministry director general and deputy defense minister under Ben-Gurion. Defense minister (1974 to 1977, 1995 to 1996). Minister of foreign affairs (1986 to 1988, 1992 to 1995, 2001 to 2002). Prime minister (1984 to 1986, 1995 to 1996). Ninth president of Israel (2007 to 2014).

Rehavam (“Gandhi”) Ze'evi (1926 to 2001): Major general, commander of the Central Military District. Established the right-wing Moledet party (1988). Minister without portfolio (1999). Minister of tourism (2001). Assassinated in the Hyatt Hotel in Jerusalem in 2001 by four Palestinian gunmen from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Avihu Ben-Nun (1939 to ): Major general, Israeli Air Force (1957 to 1992). Combat pilot. Commander of the Israeli Air Force (1987 to 1992).

Mordechai (“Motti”) Hod (1926 to 2003): Major general. Combat pilot. Commander of the Israeli Air Force (1966 to 1973).

Amichai (“Ami”) Ayalon (1945 to ): Admiral, commander of Flotilla 13 (1979), commander of the Israeli Navy (1992 to 1996). Recipient of the Medal of Valor. Head of Israel's Internal Security Service (the Shin-Beth) (1995 to 2000). Minister without portfolio (2007 to 2008). Senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute.

Haim Bar-Lev (1924 to 1994): Lieutenant general. Chief of staff (1968 to 1971). Responsible for the Bar-Lev Line, fortifications built along the Suez Canal. Several ministry positions, and ambassador to Russia (1992 to 1994).

Hadar Kimchi (1929 to ): Commander of the Cherbourg Operation (1968). Deputy commander of the Israeli Navy (1971 to 1973).

Mordechai (“Moka”) Limon (1924 to 2009): Admiral, commander of the navy (1950 to 1954). Head of delegation of procurement of the Ministry of Defense in Paris (1962 to 1970).

Nehemiah Dagan (1940 to ): Brigadier general. Combat pilot (helicopters). Commander of the IDF education department (1985 to 1988).

Eitan Ben Eliyahu (1944 to ): Major general. Combat pilot. Commander of the IAF (1996 to 2000).

Amir Eshel (1959 to ): Major general. Commander of the IAF since 2012.

Benyamin Netanyahu (l945 to ): Captain, Sayeret Matkal. Israel's ambassador to the UN (1984 to 1988). Minister of finance (2003 to 2005). Prime minister (1996 to 1999) (2009 to ).

Uzi Dayan (1948 to ): Major general. Nephew of Moshe Dayan. Fifteen years in Sayeret Matkal. Deputy chief of staff. Head of the National Security Council (2003 to 2005).

Ehud Barak (1942 to ): Lieutenant general. Commander of Sayeret Matkal. Chief of staff (1991 to 1995). Prime minister (1999 to 2001). Minister of defense and deputy prime minister (2009 to 2013).

Amnon Lipkin-Shahak (1944 to 2012): Lieutenant general. Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. Head of Military Intelligence (1986 to 1991). Deputy chief of staff (1991). Chief of staff of the IDF (1995 to 1998). Member of Knesset and Cabinet Minister.

Moshe (“Muki”) Betzer (1945 to ): Colonel. Deputy commander of Sayeret Matkal. First commander of Shaldag (commando of the Israeli Air Force).

Moshe (“Bogi”) Ya'alon (1950 to ): Lieutenant general. Commander of Sayeret Matkal. Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. Chief of Staff (2002 to 2005). Minister of defense (2013 to ).

Danny Matt (1927 to 2013): Major general. Commander of the Paratroopers Regular Brigade. Commander of the Paratroopers Reservist Brigade 247 (55). Chair of the IDF appeal court.

Yitzhak Mordechai (1944 to ): Major general. Commander of the Paratroopers and Infantry Corps. Commander of the Northern Command (1993 to 1995). Minister of defense (1996 to 1999). Deputy prime minister (1999 to 2000). Retired from political life in 2001.

Amnon Reshef (1938 to ): Major general. Commander of the Armored Corps. Chairman, Association for Peace and Security.

Avigdor Kahalani (1944 to ): Brigadier general. Commander of the 7th Brigade of the Armored Corps. Decorated with the Medal of Valor, the Medal of Distinguished Service and the President's Medal. Minister of internal security (1996 to 1999). Chairman, the Association for the Soldiers' Welfare.

Tamir Pardo (1953 to ): Communications officer, Sayeret Matkal. Head of the Mossad (2011 to ).

Shaul Mofaz (1948 to ): Lieutenant general. Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. Commander of the Judea and Samaria Division. Chief of staff (1998 to 2002). Minister of defense (2002 to 2006). Deputy prime minister and minister of transports (2006 to 2009). Later head of the opposition in the Knesset. Retired from political life in 2015.

Dan Shomron (1937 to 2008): Lieutenant general. Commander of the Paratroopers and Infantry Corps. Chief of staff (1987 to 1991). Chairman of the Israeli Military Industries.

Meir Dagan (1945 to ): Major general, various military positions. Medal of Courage. Director of the Mossad (2002 to 2010).

Gavriel (“Gabi”) Ashkenazi (1954 to ): Lieutenant general. Deputy chief of staff (2002 to 2005). Director general of the defense ministry (2006). Chief of staff (2007 to 2011).

Aviem Sella (1946 to ): Colonel. Combat pilot. (Advancement arrested because of his involvement in the Jonathan Pollard affair.)

Eliezer (“Chiney”) Marom (1955 to ): Admiral. Commander of the Israeli Navy (2007 to 2012).

Aviv Kochavi (1964 to): Major general. Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. Commander of military intelligence. Commander of the Northern District.

Itzhak (“Jerry”) Gershon (1958 to ): Major general. Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. Commander of the Judea and Samaria Division. CEO of Friends of the IDF in the U.S. (2008 to 2015).

Dan Halutz (1948 to): Lieutenant general. Combat pilot. Commander of the IAF (2002 to 2004). Chief of staff (2005 to 2007). Resigned after the second Lebanon War.

Yoav Galant (1958 to):Major general. Commander of the Southern District during Operation Cast Lead. Appointed chief of staff in 2010, but the appointment was cancelled. Minister of Housing (2015 to ).

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish (l955 to): Palestinian doctor. Since 2009, lives with his family in Toronto. Founder of the trust Daughters for Life, for the education and health of girls and women in Gaza and the Middle East. Active in promoting the peace movement.

The sources marked with an (h) are in Hebrew

1: Entebbe, 1976

“Operation Yonathan (Thunderball)—The full report,” IDF Archives, November 1977. (h)

“The secret notes of Peres,” Itamar Eichner, Yedioth Ahronoth, 17.7.2011(h)

“A rescue operation which shocked the world,” Haim Isrovitz, Maariv, 27.6.2006. (h)

Parts from Motta Gur notes (Internet site: The heritage of Gur). (h)

“Exposure: The Mossad photograph, Operation Entebbe on the way,” Sharon Rofe-Ofir, Ynet 1.7.2006. (internet site)

Bar-Zohar Michael, “Shimon Peres, the biography,” Random House, New York 2007, pp. 313–348.

“Operation Entebbe,” Journal of the Defense Minister, 27 June 1976, IDF Archives.

Peres Shimon, “Entebbe Diary,” Yedioth Ahronoth, Tel Aviv, 1991. (h)

Rabin Yitzhak, “The Rabin Memoirs,” Maariv, Tel Aviv, 1979, p. 527. (h)

Gur Mordechai (Motta), “The Chief of Staff,” Maarakhot, Tel Aviv, 1998, pp. 236–288. (h)

Interview of Shimon Peres.

Interview of Tamir Pardo.

2: To Save Jerusalem, 1948

Yitzhaki Arie, “Latrun—the battle for the road to Jerusalem”; “Latrun, road seven is ‘Burma Road'—the siege was broken,” Kama publishers, Jerusalem 1982, volume 1, pp. 269–282, volume 2, pp. 321–339. (h)

Shamir Shlomo (Gen. res.) “At all costs—to Jerusalem,” “Road Seven to Jerusalem,” Maarakhot, Ministry of Defense, Tel-Aviv, 1994, pp. 415–454. (h)

Talmi Menachem, “The new route,” Cultural service of the IDF, 1949. (h)

Oren Ram, “Latrun, the new hope,” Keshet publishers, Tel-Aviv, 2002, pp. 309–332. (h)

Rabin Yitzhak, “The Rabin Memoirs,” op.cit. 1979, pp. 52–56. (h)

“The man who discovered the Burma Road,” Eli Eshed, E-magoo.co.il, Internet magazine, 28.5.2005. (h)

Interview of Yitzhak Navon.

3: Black Arrow, 1955

Eilam Uzi, “Eilam's Arch,” Gaza raid—Black-Arrow Mission, 28.2.1955, Yedioth Books (Miskal) 2009, pp. 32–39. (h)

“Black Arrow—fiftieth anniversary to the unification of the mythological paratrooper unit 101,” Kobi Finkler, Channel 7, 23.1.07. (h)

Bar-Zohar Michael and Haber Eitan, “The book of the Paratroopers,” Levin Epstein publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1969, pp. 32–39. (h)

“We were here. The IDF attacks in Gaza, 1955,” Yanai Israeli, Walla, 7.3.2008. (h)

“Black Arrow, a pierced heart: the paratroopers hero and the Gaza mission,” Roi Mendel, Ynet, Yedioth Ahronoth, 7.3.2012. (h)

Interview of Uzi Eilam.

4: “Bring Down this Plane!” 1956

Tzidon Yoash (Chatto), “By day by night, through haze and fog,” Maariv publishers,1995, p. 216. (h)

“Hour of the bat,” Elazar Ben-Lulu, Internet site of the IDF. (h)

Interview of Yoash (Chatto) Tzidon.

5: Kadesh, 1956

“Myths and facts,” a historical research; The Mitla Pass 26th anniversary,” Monitin Magazine, October 1981. (h)

“The Independence War was not a war of few against many—The Mitla Myth,” Moshe Ronen, Yedioth Ahronoth, 4.8.1999. (h)

“The longest day in Sinai,” Uri Dan, Maariv, 28.10.1966. (h)

“Being there—testimony on Sharon, Gur, Eitan, Hofi, Davidi and others,” Monitin, November 1966. (h)

Ben-Gurion David, “A letter to the Ninth brigade, 6.11.1956,” Ministry of Defense, IDF archives. (h)

Dayan Moshe, “On the Sinai campaign, 6.11.1956,” Ministry of Defense, IDF archives. (h)

“Operation Steamroller, operation orders 64/56, 28.10.1956 including annex 4—A paratroop drop,” IDF archive. (h)

“On the parachuting at the Mitla,” Dr. Arieh Gilai, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“The brigade's reconnaissance unit, a personal story of the Mitla battle,” Uri Getz, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“Heavy mortars battalion 332, testimony about the Mitla battle,” Yakov Tzur, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“Company A, Battalion 890, the cave mopping at the Mitla battle,” Avshalom (Avsha) Adam, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“Nahal squad commanders course 906, fighting route at Kadesh, personal testimonies,” Shai Marmur and Rafi Benisti, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“Machine-gunner company E battalion 88: At the Mitla battle I stood exposed on a half-track,” Moshe Hassin as told to Dr. Arieh Gilai, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“Fighter and Sergeant-Major, company A, A personal story about the Mitla parachuting and the caves' battle,” Moni Meroz, the Paratroopers' internet site. (h)

“The Mitla battle,” Shraga Gafni, Maarakhot, Ministry of Defense, number 113, 1960. (h)

Bar-Zohar Michael and Haber Eitan, “The Mitla trap,” the book of the Paratroopers, Op. cit. pp. 132–140. (h)

Bar-Zohar Michael, “Ben-Gurion,” Volume 3 (out of 3) Am-Oved publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1977, pp. 1207–1286. (h)

Bar-Zohar Michael, “Shimon Peres, the biography,” Random House, N.Y. 2007, pp. 144–154.

Dayan Moshe, “Diary of the Sinai Campaign,” New York, Harper and Row, 1966.

Eitan Rafael (Raful) “A soldier's Story,” Maariv publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1985, p. 65. (h)

6: “Life or Death,” Operation Focus, 1967

Cohen (Cheetah) Elazar and Lavi Zvi, “The Six Day War, The Suez is not the limit,” Maariv, Tel-Aviv, 1990, pp. 263–291. (h)

“The Focus plan—as a thunderball out of a blue sky,” Pirsumei Teufa (Aviation magazine) Rishon Lezion, pp. 55–80. (h)

Yanai Ehud, ed.; General (res.) Yiftach Spector, “Moked, Aerial Supremacy,” Keter publishers, Jerusalem, 1995, pp.162–170. (h)

Churchill Randolph and Churchill Winston, “The air strike—the Six Day War,” Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1967, p. 82.

Rabin Yitzhak, “The Rabin Memoirs,” Maariv publishers, 1979, pp.186–191. (h)

Weizman Ezer, “On Eagles Wings,” Maariv publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1975, pp. 259–273. (h)

“The Focus Plan—how it was planned and how it was carried out,” Zeev Shiff, Haaretz, 10.4.1981. (h)

“Our Air Force was annihilated—the picture was black,” Yaakov Lamdan, “Laisha” (woman's weekly magazine), 5.6.1989. (h)

“A forced gamble,” Meir Amitai, Haaretz, 4.7.1997. (h)

“Like a thunderball from a blue sky,” Noam Ophir, the IAF magazine, 1.6.2002. (h)

A 1983 interview with Abd-El-Hamid Helmy, Commander of the Egyptian Air-Force, “Al Ahram” Internet site.

Steven Pressfield, “Lion's Gate,” Sentinel HC, New York, 2014.

Interview of Colonel (res.) Yossi Sarig. (h)

Interview of General (res.) Avihu Bin-Nun. (h)

7: “The Temple Mount Is in Our Hands!” 1967

Narkiss Uzi, general (res.) “Jerusalem is one,” Am-Oved, Tel- Aviv, 1975, pp. 160–163, 173–175, 200–201, 241–253. (h)

Landau Eli, “Jerusalem Forever,” chapters: “The day of Jerusalem”; “Ammunition Hill;” “The temple Mount and the Western Wall are in our hands”; pp. 25–32,111–147, 161–171, Otpaz, Tel-Aviv, 1967. (h)

Nathan Moshe, “The battle for Jerusalem,” Chapters: “Ammunition Hill”; “The Lions` Gate”; “The Victory Gate”; pp. 131–191, 293–333, 334–349, Otpaz, Tel-Aviv, 1968. (h)

Dayan David, “From Hermon to Suez”—History of the Six Day War. Chapter: “Jerusalem of Iron”; “Here is the Western Wall”; pp. 144–154, 155–161. Massada, Ramat-Gan, 1967. (h)

Weizman Ezer, op. cit. pp. 283–297. (h)

Kfir Ilan, “The Fighting IDF- Military and Defense Encyclopaedia,” Volume 4, chapter: “Jerusalem of Iron,” pp. 89–99, Revivim Publishers, Maariv, Tel-Aviv, 1982–1986. (h)

“Motta made History,” Moshe Bar-Yehuda, Military Magazine, 24.5.1968. (h)

“We've got the scoop,” Ravit Naor, Maariv, 18.4.1997. (h)

“The hill was acquired by blood,” Yoram Shoshani, Yedioth Ahronoth, 8.1.1968. (h)

Oren Michael, “Six Days of War,” Presidio Press, 2003.

“Jerusalem of blood, songs and prayers,” Yehuda Ezrachi, Maariv, 13.6.1967. (h)

“Jerusalem will be built,” Yehuda Haezrachi, Maariv, 16.6.1967. (h)

“Against fortified bunkers and 120 mm. mortars,” Amit Navon and Moshe Zonder, Maariv, 18.4.1997. (h)

“The battle for Jerusalem continued because of lack of communication with the IDF forces after the Jordanians broke the ceasefire,” A. Gazit, Maariv, 8.6.1972. (h)

“The Battle over the Bridge,” Hotam magazine, 18.1.1974. (h)

“The blowing of the Bunker at Ammunition hill,” Shimshon Ofer, Davar, 25.8.1967. (h)

“Ammunition hill in retrospect,” Haim Fikersh, Hatzophe, 17.5.85. (h)

“Dayan ordered me: Take my picture when I enter the old city,” Ilan Bruner, Maariv, 18.4.1997. (h)

“This year in built Jerusalem!,” Menachem Barash, Yedioth-Ahronoth, 8.6.1967. (h)

Gur Mordechai (Motta)—“The Temple Mount is in our hands—Victory Parade, 12.6.1967,” Defense Office publications, p. 335. (h)

8: “I felt I Was Suffocating”: The Raid on Green Island, 1969

“Tens of Egyptians killed on IDF invasion to Green Island,” Eitan Haber, Yedioth Ahronoth, 20.7.1969. (h)

“The Canons of Green Island”—Haolam Haze, Magazine, 23.7.1969. (h)

“At Least 25 Egyptians killed on IDF attack on Green Island.” Military correspondent, Davar, 21.7.1969. (h)

“On Green Island 25 years ago,” Yehuda Ofan, Al-Hamishmar, 21.7.1969. (h)

“The hottest day in Suez,” Eitan Haber, Yedioth Ahronoth, 21.7.1969.

“Heroes of Green Island,” Zeev Shiff, Haaretz, 13.3.70. (h)

“Green Island: First attack,” Uriel Ben-Ami, Bamahane, 27.7.1977.

“In fire and water,” Judith Winkler, Haaretz, 27.6.1979. (h)

“Exodus of the naval commando fighters,” Bruria-Avidan-Barir, Laisha, 17.4.1989. (h)

“50 critical moments,” Meirav Arlozorov, Bamahane, 23.3.1994. (h)

Eldar Michael (Mike), “Flotilla 13—The story of the Naval commandos,” Maariv publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1993, pp. 386–414. (h)

Mustafa Kabha, “The Egyptian attrition and the Israeli counter-attrition,” Egyptian sources, Yad-Tabenkin, Institute of Research, pp. 79–100.

Interview of Ami Ayalon. (h)

9: The French Defense Minister: “Bomb the Israelis!” 1969

“Suddenly, one morning, 6 boats disappeared,” Sigal Buhris, Between the Waves magazine, no. 89, 20 years to the operation.(h)

“The 48th soul,” Uri Sharon, Davar, 9.8.1991. (h)

Limon Moka, Tzur Miron, “Jewish Pirates—Boats of Cherbourg,” Maariv publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1988, pp. 138–184. (h)

“They had a general rehearsal,” Idith Witman, Hadashot, 25.12.1988. (h)

“In memory of the boats on their way,” Ilana Baum, Maariv, 26.12.1988. (h)

“The story of A.M. Lea,” Joseph Michalsky, Davar, 23.12.1979. (h)

“Five boats are about to arrive today,” Lamerhav Daily, 31.12.1969. (h)

“Egyptian spokesman: we are confident that France is not to blame for the smuggling of the five boats,” Shmuel Segev, Maariv, 31.12.1969. (h)

Rabinovitz Abraham, edited by Effi Melzer, “The boats of Cherbourg,” Effi Melzer Publishing House, Military research, Reut Publishers, 2001. (h)

Interview of Hadar Kimchy.

10: “Why Bomb if We Can Take?” 1969

“The night of the Radar,” Eitan Haber, Yedioth Ahronoth, 8.1.1971.

Kfir Ilan, op. cit. Paratroopers, Volume 4, pp. 123–125

Fiksler Yoel, “Rooster 53—Operation for bringing the radar from Egypt, December 26–27, 1969,” S.H.R. publishers, Rehovot, 2009. (h)

Cohen Eliezer (Cheeta), Lavi Zvi, “The sky is not the limit,” “Imaginary, crazy rooster,” Maariv publishers, Tel-Aviv, 1990, pp. 387–392. (h)

“An American request for information about the Egyptian radar is expected,” Nissim Kiviti, Eitan Haber, Yedioth Ahronoth, 4.1.1970. (h)

“Remember, you are entering the Lion's lair!” Eitan Haber, Yedioth Ahronot, 28.12.1969. (h)

“Expiatory Rooster,” Dani Spector, Yedioth Ahronoth, 30.12.2009. (h)

“Heritage paper 66—The snatching of the Egyptian radar,” Oded Marom, IAF friends Magazine, 2012. (h)

“Operation ‘Rooster'—Israel Captures Egyptian Radar in War of attrition,” Jewish Virtual Library, December 26–27, 1969.

Interview of Nehemiah Dagan.

11: “The Enemy Speaks Russian!” 1970

Yonai Ehud, “No Margin for Error,” op. cit. pp. 231–134.

“The Russians did not believe it's happening,” Amir Rappaport, Omri Assenheim, NRG, 13.8.2005. (h)

Cohen Eliezer (Cheeta), Lavi Zvi, op. cit. pp. 411–415. (h)

Amir Amos, “Fire in the sky,” Defense ministry, Tel-Aviv, 2000. (h)

“Our pilots overcame the Russian pilots,” Arie Avneri, Yedioth Ahronoth, 2.8.1970. (h)

“Commander of the Russian Air Force investigates the interception of the MiGs,” Egyptian news agency, Yedioth Ahronoth, 2.8.1970. (h)

“The four MiGs that were shot down yesterday were flown by Russian pilots,” Yedioth Ahronoth, 31.7.1970. (h)

“Will the USSR accept her fighters being hurt?” Eitan Haber, Yedioth Ahronoth, 3.8.1970. (h)

Interview of Amir Eshel.

12: White Angels on Jacob's Ladder, 1972

“Brilliant 90 seconds of The Matkal Commandos,” Moshe Zonder, Maariv, 25.3.1994. (h)

“23 hours of anxiety,” Yedioth Ahronoth reporters, 12.5.1972. (h)

“We released Sabena,” Moshe Zonder and Amit Navon, Maariv,16.5.1997.

“That is how I shot The prime Minister,” Yossi Asulin, Southern local paper, 25.4.1997. (h)

“The breaking into Sabena,” Yosi Argaman and Zvi Elchayani, Bamahane, 20.5.1992. (h)

“Kidnapping Diary: hour by hour,” Zeev Shif, Haaretz, 12.5.1972. (h)

“The hot line between Lod and Jerusalem,” Yosef Harif, Maariv, 12.5.1972. (h)

Kaspit Ben, Kfir Ilan, editor: Dani Dor, “Netanyahu—The road to power, the break through into Sabena airplane,” Alfa Communication, Tel-Aviv, 1997, pp. 65–70. (h) Birch Lane Press, USA, 1998.