Uganda’s military unveiled a monument on Saturday to Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was killed during a 1976 hostage rescue operation in Entebbe. The statue, depicting Yonatan Netanyahu with an assault rifle, was commissioned by Ugandan military chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni.
Kainerugaba stated the monument honors the soldier’s courage, embodying values of bravery, commitment to protecting innocent lives, and devotion to duty. The ceremony was attended by figures including Israeli businessman Barak Orland. The statue is situated outside the airport terminal in Entebbe, the site where Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu was fatally wounded while leading Israeli commandos. The mission aimed to rescue 106 passengers and crew from an Air France flight hijacked by two Palestinians and two Germans.
The hijackers had demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Following a week of negotiations, Israeli commandos executed the rescue on July 3, 1976. Yonatan Netanyahu was the only Israeli commando killed during the operation, which lasted less than an hour. While the commandos successfully rescued all but three hostages who died in the crossfire, dozens of Ugandan soldiers also perished. The operation was viewed as a significant success for Israel, though it drew criticism from the Organization of African Unity at the time for violating Uganda's sovereignty under dictator Idi Amin, who supported the Palestinian cause.
The 1976 rescue remains a pivotal event in Israeli history. Benjamin Netanyahu has previously stated that his brother's death during the raid altered the course of his own life. Relations between Uganda and Israel are currently cordial, and President Museveni has expressed support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.