Celebrating (July 4 1977)

July 04, 1977

I drew this cartoon exactly thirty six years ago. July 4th 1977. It was the first anniversary of that amazing, daring rescue at Entebbe Airport. The operation had not only snatched the hostages out of their place of captivity, but had also dragged the country out of the dark depths of despair.

Here's the cartoon that I'd done the year before, when the rescue took place.

For info about the Entebbe raid... and to see actual 1976 TV coverage of the event click here.

4th of July (1983)

Today's Golden Oldie is a cartoon from 1983 ...twenty five years ago! Mr. Shuldig is in a supermarket pushing his shopping cart and checking his picnic shopping list.

* * * The incredible Entebbe rescue operation (seven years earlier in 1976) had flipped Israel's mood from hopeless despair to elation and joy in an instant ...something we could use these days!

Here's the story as reported by the BBC:

Israelis rescue Entebbe hostages

Israeli commandos have rescued 100 hostages, mostly Israelis or Jews, held by pro-Palestinian hijackers at Entebbe airport in Uganda.

At about 0100 local time (2200GMT), Ugandan soldiers and the hijackers were taken completely by surprise when three Hercules transport planes landed after a 2,500-mile trip from Israel.

About 200 elite troops ran out and stormed the airport building.

During a 35-minute battle, 20 Ugandan soldiers and all seven hijackers died along with three hostages.

"This operation will certainly be inscribed in the annals of military history, in legend and in national tradition."- Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli Prime Minister

To read more, and to see actual 1976 TV coverage of the July 4th event click here. To see previous postings about Mr. Shuldig's celebration of the holiday, just click on Entebbe.

* * *So tell me, will YOU be celebrating Entebbe Day this 4th of July?

Summer Heat Wave (1980)

Cartoonists have this problem. Sometimes when you write about a heat wave you're really talking about things like threats of war, international pressure, and folks in Sderot being under fire. Other times a heat wave is just a heat wave.

Today's Golden Oldie is from back in the summer of 1980. The heat wave was just a heat wave. No metaphors intended.

Yesterday a friend called on his mobile to tell me that he and his girlfriend were driving to the Galilee for a few days in nature. An hour later my daughter called to say that she was packing her young kids and a tent and heading off for a camping trip. Later, at lunch, a colleague explained that he was off for a few days.

To all concerned my response was the same. "In This Heat Wave?!! ..Are you crazy?!"

Yes, we're having a heat wave. And any picnic that I'd take part in would have to be right here, in my air conditioned studio!