Operation Joshua
Template:Short description 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 8,000 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 Ovda Airport in southern Israel.
See also
Further reading
- Mitchell G. Bard, From Tragedy to Triumph: The Politics Behind the Rescue of Ethiopian Jewry, 2002, Template:ISBN, p. 161 - 170
References
External links
- 1985 in international relations
- 1985 in Israel
- 1985 in Ethiopia
- 1985 in Sudan
- Aliyah operations
- Airlifts
- Jewish Ethiopian history
- Beta Israel
- Al Qadarif State
- United States Air Force
- Ethiopia–Israel relations
- Ethiopia–Sudan relations
- Ethiopia–United States relations
- Israel–Sudan relations
- Israel–United States military relations
- Sudan–United States relations
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