Thirty years ago, a rescue mission that thrilled the world flew 14,310 Ethiopian Jews to Israel within a period of 24 hours using 30 planes in “Operation Solomon.”
Rare photos of the Aliyah rescue were released this week by the Ministry of Defense in a tribute to the courageous and passionate desire of Israel to protect Jewish people anywhere in the world.
Operation Solomon
In May 1991, yet another severe famine hit North Africa. The security situation in Ethiopia under dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam was already precarious and struggles between the central government and Mengistu’s opponents increased the likelihood of the government falling. Rebels had reached the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa, threatening to topple the government and put the entire unarmed and unprotected Ethiopian Jewish community in mortal danger.
Reports were coming in of the dangerous situation in Ethiopia and Israeli diplomats advised initiating “an emergency plan for the protection and evacuation of the Jewish community.”
Thousands of people got involved in the rescue mission on the ground in Ethiopia and in Israel, including...
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