Operation Joshua, also known as Operation Sheba,[1] was the 1985 airlifting of Ethiopian Jews from refugee camps in Sudan to Israel.
Ethiopian Jews had fled to refugee camps in Sudan from a severe famine in their country. The Israeli Operation Moses had previously airlifted 8000 people to Israel from November 21, 1984, to January 5, 1985,[2] but when word leaked out to the press, under pressure from other Muslim countries, Sudan blocked further flights,[3][4] leaving many behind. All 100 United States senators signed a secret petition to President Ronald Reagan, asking him to have the evacuation resumed.[3] Vice President George H. W. Bush then arranged a follow-up mission called Operation Joshua.[1] On March 22, 1985, six United States Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft were dispatched, landing near Al Qadarif. "Around 500",[1] "more than 500"[3] or "around 650"[4] Jews were located and transported to Uvda Airbase in southern Israel.
See also[]
- Aliyah from Ethiopia
- Operation Solomon
- Jewish Agency for Israel
Further reading[]
- Mitchell G. Bard, From Tragedy to Triumph: The Politics Behind the Rescue of Ethiopian Jewry, 2002, ISBN 978-0-275-97000-0, p. 161 - 170
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "1984-1991 Airlift of Ethiopian Jewish community". https://web.archive.org/web/20170510212237/https://www.idfblog.com/about-the-idf/history-of-the-idf/1984-1991-airlift-of-ethiopian-jewish-community/.
- ↑ Ministry of Immigrant Absorption. "Operation Moses – Aliyah of Ethiopian Jewry (1984)". http://www.moia.gov.il/English/FeelingIsrael/AboutIsrael/Pages/mivtzaMoshe.aspx.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 T. W. McGarry (March 26, 1985). "'Catalyst' for Ethiopian Airlift Disclosed : Robbins, Publisher Claim Valley-Spawned Plan Spurred U.S. to Action". http://articles.latimes.com/1985-03-26/local/me-28866_1_ethiopian-jews.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Sharon Spent Two Years Thinking His Parents Had Died in Sudan". http://www.jewishtelegraph.com/prof_232.html.
External links[]
The original article can be found at Operation Joshua and the edit history here.