Entebbe. The Ugandan government has unveiled a memorial statue in honour of Lt Col Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu, the elder brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was killed while leading the famed Entebbe hostage rescue operation in 1976.
The monument was unveiled by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) on August 1, nearly 50 years after one of the world's most celebrated military rescue missions.
Lt Col Netanyahu, commander of Israel's elite special forces unit, was fatally shot on July 4, 1976, during Operation Entebbe, in which Israeli commandos rescued more than 100 hostages held at Entebbe Airport following the hijacking of an Air France flight. He was the only Israeli soldier killed in the operation.
Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, presided over the unveiling ceremony, describing Yoni Netanyahu as a symbol of courage, duty and selfless service.
"It is a great honour to unveil this memorial to Lt Col Yonatan 'Yoni' Netanyahu, whose leadership and sacrifice during Operation Entebbe remain an enduring symbol of bravery and selfless service," Gen Kainerugaba said.
He also paid tribute to the four hostages who died during the incident—Jean-Jacques Maimoni, Pasco Cohen, Ida Borochovitch and Dora Bloch—saying their memory should continue to be honoured.
The unveiling marks a significant gesture by Uganda, where the 1976 raid took place under the regime of Idi Amin, and highlights a shared recognition of one of the defining moments in modern military history.
