Uganda’s military has unveiled a monument honoring Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was killed during a 1976 hostage rescue operation at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. The statue was unveiled on Saturday by Ugandan military chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who commissioned the memorial to acknowledge the soldier’s bravery.

The monument, located outside Entebbe’s airport terminal, depicts Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu holding an assault rifle. Netanyahu was the only Israeli commando killed during the raid, which aimed to rescue 106 hostages taken by hijackers. Gen. Kainerugaba, the eldest son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his presumed successor, described Netanyahu as a symbol of courage, dedication to protecting innocent lives, and steadfast service.

The hostage crisis began when four hijackers—two Palestinians and two Germans—seized an Air France flight and diverted it to Entebbe Airport. They separated Jewish and Israeli passengers from the rest and threatened to kill them unless Israel released dozens of Palestinian prisoners. After a week of negotiations, Israeli commandos launched a surprise assault on July 3, 1976, successfully freeing nearly all hostages; three hostages died, as did dozens of Ugandan soldiers.

At the time, Uganda was under the rule of dictator Idi Amin, who had severed diplomatic ties with Israel and supported Palestinian independence. The raid deeply angered Amin, as Israel’s success was viewed as a humiliation. The Organisation of African Unity condemned the operation, arguing that it violated Uganda’s sovereignty.

The Entebbe raid remains a significant moment in Israeli military history, illustrating the risks undertaken to protect citizens abroad. The unveiling of the Yonatan Netanyahu memorial reflects ongoing recognition of the operation’s impact in both Israel and Uganda decades later.