By Ambassador Herman J. Cohen
As Passover reminds us of liberation from ancient bondage, I find myself thinking about a more recent exodus. Almost 35 years ago, Israel’s Operation Solomon rescued more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews from danger and chaos. As an American diplomat, I saw how soft power, smart thinking and the best of our nation’s interests and ideals can save lives. The dramatic rescue offers powerful lessons that we dare not ignore in today’s chaotic environment.
The situation was dire. Ethiopia was embroiled in a devastating civil war, and by May 1991, rebel forces were advancing on Addis Ababa. The government was on the verge of collapse. The Beta Israel community — a long-persecuted Jewish population with ancient roots in Ethiopia — was on the brink of grave danger.
As assistant secretary for African Affairs, I was approached by a Mossad operative who laid out Israel’s daring plan — an unprecedented airlift to whisk over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in less than 36 hours. The codename: Operation Solomon.
As American diplomats, this was not just another opportunity to support an ally in the Middle East. We felt a moral imperative to act.
As the lead mediator between Israel and Ethiopia, my role was to swiftly navigate a complex web of negotiations. The Ethiopian government of Mengistu Haile Mariam was a willing partner but desperate for resources, so it sought financial aid. The rebels, on the cusp of taking power, sought assurances of international recognition and stability.
The negotiations were intense. I worked closely with Israeli officials and ground-level leaders in Ethiopia to coordinate the transportation of Jews from their mountain homes to the city of Addis Ababa. Expediting a peaceful resolution to the crisis required moral clarity and pragmatism. President George H.W. Bush paused U.S. economic aid to the Mengistu government to establish leverage (while maintaining humanitarian assistance).
It was this careful exercise of American soft power that carried the day. In a little over 36 hours, 35 flights airlifted more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to safety and new lives. One 747 evacuated more than 1,000 people, the most ever on a single flight. (The number of passengers grew during their escape to freedom: two babies were born en route.) As they stepped off the planes, many had only the clothes on their backs and what little cookware they could pack.
As we reflect on this miraculous rescue this Passover, we are reminded of how tikkun olam calls on us to repair the world, and tzedakah obliges Jews to serve God by helping those in need. What a jarring contrast to President Donald Trump’s efforts to end humanitarian aid around the world, which is counter to the core commandments of Judaism, Christianity and numerous other religious traditions.
Helping others is also good for America. Critical food, medicine and economic development assistance do more than save lives. It builds the influence and international alliances we desperately need in a dangerous world and gives the U.S. powerful tools to fulfill American interests. Without the kind of aid now being eliminated, I would have lacked the bargaining chips needed to ensure that Operation Solomon could succeed.
Cutting economic development aid is especially shortsighted. The aid helps Africa’s business sector grow, creates new markets and supply lines for American business, and speeds up graduation from foreign aid to self-sufficiency.
For example, the Power Africa program, which was recently suspended, catalyzes expanded electricity production by providing critical feasibility studies and export guarantees for equipment and investment — not large cash outlays. It helps grow the middle class needed for self-sufficiency and creates new profit-making opportunities for American business.
Ending this critical bridge support is a gift to China, which would love to have Africa’s energy markets all to itself.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said a few of the right words, acknowledging a theoretical place for soft power and economic incentives in Africa.
But Passover is a call for deeds, not words. Operation Solomon reminds us that there is no substitute for soft power, and that helping others also helps ourselves. And the 14,000 lives that began anew more than three decades ago are a testament to what makes a nation great. ■
Ambassador Herman J. Cohen, who lives in the Washington, D.C., area, has devoted his professional career to African and European affairs.
