Yoni's Last Battle

March 1, 2002
Originally published in Hebrew in 1991, this book has been reissued in English to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Entebbe raid. In June 1976, an Air France jetliner was hijacked and forced to fly to Entebbe, Uganda, by terrorists. On July 4, 30 soldiers of the Israeli army known as "the Unit" successfully rescued over 100 Israeli and Jewish passengers held captive by the terrorists. Only the 30-year-old commander of the unit, Lt. Col. Jonathan (Yoni) Netanyahu, was killed. He was the brother of the author, who also participated in the raid, along with a third brother, Benjamin Netanyahu (later to become prime minister of Israel). The book is both an accurate, detailed account of the raid and a personal tribute to a brother and a hero. The fast-paced text offers numerous flashbacks of the three brothers' childhood and army service. Although some details and identities remain classified, the author was able to interview most of the unit's soldiers and others involved in the raid. This new edition contains transcripts of those interviews. The book lacks an index, but photos, drawings, and personal recollections assist in explaining this historical event. Recommended for all public libraries. David M. Alperstein, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, NY

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