Uganda recently unveiled a bronze statue honoring Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, the elder brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The monument, dedicated to the fallen commando killed during the 1976 Entebbe raid, was erected at the Old Entebbe Terminal. This development occurs against a backdrop of criticism leveled against the Israeli Prime Minister by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has familial ties to Uganda.
The statue commemorates the 50th anniversary of the "Raid on Entebbe," also known as Operation Thunderbolt. In June 1976, Islamic terrorists hijacked an Air France flight carrying 246 passengers and diverted it to Entebbe, Uganda. The hijackers demanded $5 million and the release of Palestinian terrorists. The daring Israeli rescue mission, which saved 102 out of 106 hostages, was led by Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan Netanyahu. He was the sole military casualty of the operation, killed by a Ugandan sniper on July 4, 1976.
The unveiling ceremony, attended by Ugandan military officials, was described as a testament to the "enduring security partnership, mutual trust, and diplomatic reconciliation between Uganda and Israel," according to The Kampala Post. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces in Uganda, expressed on Twitter the desire to "strengthen our close blood relations with Israel" and congratulated Uganda and Israel.
This tribute to Yoni Netanyahu stands in notable contrast to the stance of Mayor Adams, whose father, Mahmood Mamdani, is from Uganda. Mayor Adams has previously vowed to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu when he is in New York, labeling him a "war criminal." Mahmood Mamdani, an author and professor, has also been critical of Israel's actions in Gaza. However, Uganda, under its current leadership, has evolved from its past anti-Israel stance during the Idi Amin era to become a steadfast ally of Israel, with diplomatic relations restored in 1994.
Dov Hikind, former Brooklyn Democratic assemblyman and founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, commented on the situation, calling it "poetic justice." He noted that history shows how leaders and their sentiments can change, drawing parallels between Idi Amin's past support for Israel's enemies and the current criticisms of Netanyahu. Hikind suggested that, much like Amin, those who oppose Israel may eventually fade from historical significance.