Operation Opera impossible for the Iraqis to take the necessary steps without being discovered. In Israel, discussions on which strategy to adopt in response to the Iraqi reactor development were taking place as early as [[Yitzhak Rabin|Yitzhak Rabin's]] [[Seventeenth government of Israel|first term in office]] (1974–1977). Reportedly, planning and training for the operation began during this time. After [[Menachem Begin]] became Prime Minister in 1977 the preparations intensified; Begin authorized the building of a full-scale model of the Iraqi reactor which Israeli pilots could practice bombing. Three Israeli pilots died in accidents while training for the mission. Israel's Foreign Minister [[Moshe Dayan]]
Yitzhak Rafael the post in July 1963, serving until March 1965. He was re-elected in 1965 and 1969, and following Haim-Moshe Shapira's death in July 1970, became the leader of the NRP. He was re-elected again in 1973, and was appointed Minister of Religions by Golda Meir in March 1974. However, when Yitzhak Rabin formed a new government in June 1974 following Meir's resignation, the NRP were not included in the coalition and Rafael left the cabinet. When the party joined the coalition in October that year, Rafael was re-appointed Minister of Religions, serving until all NRP ministers were sacked in December