FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND
FORMER CIA DIRECTOR R. JAMES WOOLSEY FEATURED SPEAKERS

On July 4, 1976, Jonathan “Yoni” Netanyahu was the only Israeli soldier to die in the raid he lead at Entebbe Airport in Uganda that freed 103 Jewish hostages. The National Museum of American Jewish History is joining with the Consulate General of Israel in Philadelphia and historic Congregation Mikveh Israel on September 6, 6:30 p.m., to commemorate Netanyahu’s life and the Entebbe raid at the Museum with a free ceremony and program on terrorism with speakers Benjamin Netanyahu and R. James Woolsey.

The program will include a historical perspective on terrorism, a look at the significance of the raid at Entebbe, and recent developments regarding the fight against terrorism. The program will be preceded at 6 p.m. with a ceremony honoring Jonathan Netanyahu in front of the Museum, at the Jonathan Netanyahu Memorial.

Benjamin Netanyahu served as the ninth prime minister of the State of Israel. In 1979 and 1984 Mr. Netanyahu initiated two international conferences that emphasized the need to fight terrorist organizations and regimes that provide them support. U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz wrote that Mr. Netanyahu's social activism had a decisive influence in shaping American policy on international terrorism. Mr. Netanyahu is the editor with his brother Ido Netanyahu of “Self-Portrait of a Hero: The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu (1963-1976).” Among his other works are “Israel and its Place Among the Nations” and “Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism.” He is currently chairman of the Likud Party and a member of the Israeli Knesset.

During the twelve years he has served in the U.S. Government, Mr. Woolsey has held presidential appointments in two Democratic and two Republican administrations. R. James Woolsey served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1993 to 1995. He served as undersecretary of the Navy from 1977-79; as a delegate at large to the U.S.-Soviet Strategic Arms Limitation Talks from 1983-86; and on the National Commission on Terrorism from 1999-2000. He is currently a distinguished adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Marc Howard of CBS-3 is moderating the program.

“It is important to honor and recall the bold and daring Entebbe Raid and its leader, Yoni Netanyahu, as Israel and the West confront the same anti-Western and anti-Israel radical Islamic terrorism in the Middle East and Iraq,” said Program Chairman Steven Friedman. “The lessons of Entebbe are fully applicable in the present – and should guide the overall policy of bold action, no negotiation, and use of decisive strategic military force to deal with Islamic terrorism.”
Freidman, a classmate of Jonathan Netanyahu at Cheltenham High School and a partner in the Philadelphia law firm Duane Morris LLP, was the chairman of the committee responsible for the Netanyahu Memorial, which was dedicated on October 16, 1986 at the front of the Museum. The sculpture, by Israeli artist Buky S. Schwartz, consists of a group of four monoliths cut from one block of white Vermont marble. The sculpture was donated by art collectors Muriel and Philip Berman.

All visitors will go through a metal detector and be checked by security personnel. No bags or luggage will be allowed. To facilitate the security check, guests are encouraged to arrive as early as possible. Seating is limited.


CONTACT JAY NACHMAN AT 215-923-5978 OR BY EMAIL AT JNACHMAN@NMAJH.ORG