4th of July: Entebbe Rescue (1976)

There was an early movie comedy technique called the "slow burn." The comedian would let his face slide into anger, exasperation, and frustration. In this cartoon I did the opposite. Mr. Shuldig's face slides from depression to relief.

The cartoon was done 30 years ago. It was published on July 6, 1976, two days after the amazing Israeli rescue of hostages held in Entebbe Airport in Uganda on July 4th 1976.

The country had been in a funk since the Yom Kippur War proved our vulnerability.
Now the abduction of a plane load of hostages to Uganda seemed to cruelly underline our helplessness. Uganda's President and insane dictator Idi Amin arrived at the airport, gave a speech in support of the Palestinian terrorists and supplied the hijackers with soldiers and weapons.
Passengers who were not Jews or Israelis were released, leaving the remaining 100 who were either Israelis or Jewish. The hijackers then announced that they would kill their captives if their demands were not met. A deadline was set.

The mood in the Israel grew more frantic, and even darker.
And then... The 4th of July Entebbe rescue!
And the mood of the entire country turned to joy.

Here's how the BBC reported it.