Uganda’s military has unveiled a monument commemorating Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was killed during the famous 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue operation.

The statue, depicting Yonatan Netanyahu armed with an assault rifle, was revealed on Saturday by Uganda’s military chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Gen. Kainerugaba, the eldest son of President Yoweri Museveni and his likely successor, commissioned the monument to honor the soldier’s bravery.

Located outside the Entebbe airport terminal, the site of the rescue mission, the statue stands as a tribute to Netanyahu’s leadership and sacrifice. He was the only Israeli commando killed while leading the raid that freed 106 hostages from hijackers who had seized an Air France flight.

Gen. Kainerugaba remarked during the unveiling ceremony: “This memorial stands not only in remembrance of a distinguished soldier, but also as a tribute to the enduring values he embodied: courage in the face of danger, unwavering commitment to protecting innocent lives, and steadfast devotion to duty.”

Background of the Entebbe Raid

  • The hijackers—two Palestinians and two Germans—separated Jewish and Israeli passengers, threatening to kill them unless Israel released Palestinian prisoners.
  • After a week of negotiations, Israeli commandos launched a daring rescue on July 3, 1976.
  • The operation lasted less than an hour, saving all but three hostages, though dozens of Ugandan soldiers died.
  • Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu was fatally shot while leading the assault.

The raid strained relations with Uganda’s then-dictator Idi Amin, who supported the Palestinian cause and had severed ties with Israel. The Organization of African Unity condemned the operation as a violation of Ugandan sovereignty.

Today, the Entebbe raid is regarded as a landmark Israeli military success. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said his brother’s death profoundly shaped his life.

Relations between Uganda and Israel remain cordial, with President Museveni endorsing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.