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ISRAELI EXCEPTIONALISM

 

Sayeret Matkal commander Ehud Barak (2nd L) walks on the wing of a Sabena jet at Tel Aviv airport in this May 9, 1972 file photo, released to Reuters by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) on March 28, 2012. REUTERS-Ron Ilan-GPO-Handout

Reuters, by Dan Williams

JERUSALEM | Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:11pm EDT

(Reuters) – In May 1972, forty years before becoming Israel’s top decision-making duo, Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak first made news on the blood-stained wing of a hijacked Belgian airliner.

Disguised as tousle-haired mechanics, with slim pistols concealed beneath their white overalls, Israel’s future prime minister and defense chief had stormed the Sabena jet at Lod airport near Tel Aviv as part of Sayeret Matkal, the secret special forces regiment which Barak, then aged 30, led. (Mr. Barak is the figure in white on the wing.)  One of the 100 hostages died but the raid was hailed a master-stroke, the only casualty among Barak’s men being Netanyahu, shot in the arm by a comrade.   READMORE

 

 


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