Operation Joshua

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, ISBN 978-0-275-97000-0, p. 161 - 170

References
  1. "1984-1991 Airlift of Ethiopian Jewish community". Archived from the original on 2017-05-10.
  2. Ministry of Immigrant Absorption. "Operation Moses – Aliyah of Ethiopian Jewry (1984)".
  3. T. W. McGarry (March 26, 1985). "'Catalyst' for Ethiopian Airlift Disclosed : Robbins, Publisher Claim Valley-Spawned Plan Spurred U.S. to Action". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "Sharon Spent Two Years Thinking His Parents Had Died in Sudan". Jewish Telegraph.
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