Uganda unveils statue of Israel PM's brother who died in Entebbe rescue mission

What the report says

Uganda has unveiled a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the site of the 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue mission, according to BBC Africa. Yonatan Netanyahu was the only Israeli soldier killed in the raid, which freed more than 100 hostages after an Air France plane was hijacked and diverted to Uganda.

BBC Africa reported that the monument was presented by Uganda’s army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who said it was meant to recognise Netanyahu’s courage and service. The statue stands outside the old airport terminal where the operation took place, a location that remains central to memories of the event. Kainerugaba also described the raid as a major episode in modern history and linked the commemoration to the current relationship between Uganda and Israel.

The article places the tribute in the wider context of the Entebbe hijacking, in which militants demanded the release of prisoners in exchange for the hostages. It notes that the rescue mission lasted less than 90 minutes and ended with deaths among hostages, hijackers, Ugandan soldiers and Yonatan Netanyahu. The unveiling also reflects how the once-hostile episode has become part of a more cooperative relationship between the two countries, even as the event remains a painful part of Uganda’s history.