Some 30 percent of Israelis aged 18 to 22 are clueless regarding the Entebbe rescue operation of 1976, according to a new survey conducted by Shiluv.
The study, published by Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Tuesday, also showed that 20 percent of Israelis have heard of the operation but could not explain that it entailed the release of Israeli hostages in Uganda.
The poll was conducted among a representative sample of 429 people aged 18 and up.
A third of the respondents were not aware that the mission was later named after its commander Yoni Netanyahu ,who was killed during the rescue of the Air France passengers in July, 1976.
The survey was taken ahead of the airing of the second season of “The Ambassador” reality TV show; one of the judges on the show, Major General (res.) Gil Regev, participated in the Entebbe mission.
The show’s 14 contestants compete for the opportunity to represent the “Israel at Heart” organization in New York, Australia, South Africa and Europe.