Omanghana
The Ugandan military has unveiled a memorial statue in honor of Lt. Col. Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, the Israeli commander killed during the historic 1976 Entebbe hostage-rescue operation.
The ceremony took place on August 1, 2026, at the Old Entebbe Airport Terminal, where Israeli commandos carried out the mission five decades ago. Netanyahu was the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The monument depicts the late military officer holding an assault rifle. It was commissioned and unveiled by Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gen. Kainerugaba described the memorial as an important symbol of reconciliation and growing cooperation between Uganda and Israel. He said the tribute represented a new chapter in relations between the two countries, despite the painful history associated with the raid.
The military chief also addressed the deaths of Ugandan soldiers during the operation, arguing that they had acted under the orders of former President Idi Amin’s government and did not represent the wishes of the wider Ugandan population.
The Entebbe raid followed the hijacking of an Air France passenger plane by Palestinian and German militants. The aircraft was diverted to Entebbe Airport, where more than 100 Jewish and Israeli passengers were held hostage.
On July 4, 1976, an elite Israeli force launched a long-range rescue mission at the airport. The commandos succeeded in freeing 102 hostages during the operation, which later became one of the world’s most widely discussed counterterrorism missions.
Netanyahu, who commanded the elite Sayeret Matkal rescue unit, was the only Israeli soldier killed during the assault. His role in the operation made him a celebrated military figure in Israel and gave the mission lasting significance for the Netanyahu family.
Several dignitaries, including members of Uganda’s military leadership and representatives of the Israeli business community, attended the unveiling.
The memorial comes at a time of expanding diplomatic, security and commercial engagement between Uganda and Israel. Organizers described it as both a tribute to Netanyahu’s sacrifice and an acknowledgement of how relations between the two countries have evolved since the turbulent Idi Amin era.
Source: Omanghana
