More than 100 hostages spent several anxious days at Entebbe airport

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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.

The leader of the assault force, Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan Netanyahu, was also shot dead by a Ugandan sentry.

The Israelis destroyed 11 Russian-built MiG fighters, which amounted to a quarter of Uganda's air force.

The surviving hostages were then flown to Israel with a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya, where some of the injured were treated by Israeli doctors and at least two transferred to hospital there.

Speaking at the Israeli Knesset (parliament) this afternoon, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who ordered the raid said: "This operation will certainly be inscribed in the annals of military history, in legend and in national tradition."

Air France plane seized

The crisis began on 27 June, when four militants seized an Athens-to-Paris Air France flight with 250 people on board.

The hijackers - two from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and two from Germany's Baader-Meinhof gang - diverted the plane to Entebbe, where it arrived on 28 June.

The hijackers - who were joined by three more colleagues - demanded the release of 53 militants held in jails in Israel and four other countries.

Uganda's President and dictator Idi Amin arrived at the airport to give a speech in support of the PFLP and supplied the hijackers with extra troops and weapons.

On 1 July, the hijackers released all the hostages not carrying Israeli passports. They were flown to Paris and London.

Among them were British citizens George Good, a retired accountant and Tony Russell, a senior GLC official, who arrived in London on Friday.

The crew were offered the chance to go but chose to stay with the plane. The remaining hostages were transferred to the airport building.

The hijackers then set a deadline for 1100GMT for their demands to be met or they would blow up the airliner and its passengers. But their plan was foiled by the dramatic Israeli raid.

John Major wins the leadership battle

His sole challenger, John Redwood, got 89 votes.

There were eightabstentionswith 12 spoilt papers. Two Conservative MPs failed to vote.

Mr Major's victory represented support from two-thirds of the parliamentary party - more than enough to win the contest outright in the first round.

"I believe that has put to rest any question and speculation about the leadership of the Conservative Party up to and beyond the next general election," Mr Major said.

The prime minister's resignation as leader of the Conservative Party last month was widely seen as a ploy to bring to a head deep divisions in the party over the highly contentious issue of Europe.

There were also persistent rumours of a leadership challenge from inside the cabinet.

But Michael Portillo and Kenneth Clarke - both floated as possible leadership contenders - backed the prime minister.

The defeated challenger, John Redwood, who resigned as Welsh Secretary to contest the party leadership, moved swiftly to congratulate the prime minister.

"He won fair and square under the rules and I pay tribute to that victory," he said.

"I and my colleagues have fought a strong campaign - we have raised many important issues."

Mr Redwood attracted support from those in the party who wanted a tougher approach to growing European integration.

But his distant and unemotional manner earned him the nickname 'Mr Spock' or 'The Vulcan' after the character from the television series, Star Trek.

John Major is now expected to re-assert his authority with an immediate cabinet reshuffle.

abstention :the act or habit of deliberate self-denial（节制）