May 24, 1972 Terror attacks in Lydda, Ramleh & Ben Shemen

Jerusalem—Two airport trucks carrying 18 men in the white overalls of El Al airline maintenance mechanic drove up to a lone Sabena Belgian jetliner parked at the edge of the Lydda international airport outside Tel Aviv. For four or five minutes the “mechanics” milled around the Boeing 707 check the tires and equipment. Suddenly they tore open the emergency exits above the wings and opened fire inside the crowed cabin. “Lie down! Lie down! It’s okay!” they shouted. Most of the dazed passengers and crew obeyed but two men fired back.

For nearly 21 hours, 97 persons 10 of them crew had been confined to the plane which had carried them to Israel from Brussels and Vienna. The plane, they were told, was wired and could be blown up on a few seconds’ notice, four Arab guerrillas including two skilled airmen believed to be veterans of previous successful hijacks, were holding them hostage for 3000 Palestinian guerrillas imprisoned in Israel.

The fusillade from the men in overalls—in reality, crack gunmen of the Israeli army—ended as abruptly as it began. The two male hijackers, who had returned the fire, were dead, and another of the hijacking team, a Jordanian girl, was uninjured and under arrest. The fourth hijacker, a 20 year old Arab girl, was severely wounded; urgent brain surgery saved her life. Two passengers caught in the cross fire were also badly hurt.

Source: The Men In White Where all Crack Shots