Mohan Sinha
06 Aug 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda: Uganda's military has unveiled a monument honoring Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was killed during a hostage rescue mission in the country in 1976.

The statue, which shows Yonatan Netanyahu holding an assault rifle, was revealed over the weekend by Uganda's military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. He said the monument had been commissioned as a tribute to the Israeli officer's bravery. The ceremony was attended by several guests, including Israelis living in Uganda such as businessman Barak Orland.

Kainerugaba, who led the event, is the eldest son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and is widely seen as his likely successor.

The monument has been placed outside the airport terminal in Entebbe, the location where Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan Netanyahu was fatally shot. He was leading Israeli commandos during a mission to rescue 106 passengers who had been taken hostage aboard an Air France flight. He was the only Israeli soldier killed in the operation.

Speaking at the unveiling, Kainerugaba said, "Today, 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."

The hostage crisis began when four hijackers — two Palestinians and two Germans — took control of the aircraft. They separated Jewish and Israeli passengers from the others and threatened to kill them unless Israel released several Palestinian prisoners.

Negotiations continued for a week while Israel prepared a rescue plan. On July 3, 1976, Israeli commandos stormed the airport in Entebbe. The operation, which lasted less than an hour, resulted in the rescue of nearly all the hostages, though three were killed during the crossfire. Dozens of Ugandan soldiers also died during the raid.

At the time, Uganda was ruled by Idi Amin, who had cut diplomatic ties with Israel and supported the Palestinian cause.

The mission's success was seen as a major embarrassment for Amin. It also drew criticism from the Organization of African Unity, the predecessor to the African Union, which viewed the operation as a violation of Uganda's sovereignty.

The Entebbe rescue remains a defining moment in Israel's history and is often regarded as one of its most significant military achievements. The Israeli prime minister has previously said that the loss of his brother in the mission had a profound impact on his life.

Today, relations between Uganda and Israel are generally positive.

President Museveni has also expressed support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.