Netanyahu Thanks Uganda for Yonatan Statue at UN

During an address at the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Uganda for a recently erected statue honoring his older brother, Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu.

Yoni Netanyahu was killed nearly 50 years ago while leading the daring Israeli assault to rescue hostages held at Uganda’s Old Entebbe Airport. The Prime Minister recounted how his brother “led his brave soldiers to the heart of Africa” to save 103 Jewish hostages, noting that Yoni was the only soldier lost in the mission.

The statue, unveiled on August 1, 2026, stands at the Old Entebbe Airport terminal, the historic location of the dramatic rescue. Commissioned by Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the bronze sculpture depicts Yoni Netanyahu in combat.

Gen. Muhoozi, speaking at the unveiling, highlighted Yoni’s leadership and sacrifice as symbols of courage and duty, emphasizing the monument’s role in preserving the memory of the event and fostering Ugandan-Israeli relations. He also distinguished the 1976 operation from contemporary Uganda, noting it occurred under Idi Amin’s regime.

The 1976 hijacking of Air France Flight 139 saw four hijackers force the plane to Entebbe, where hostages were held with the support of Ugandan forces. The subsequent Israeli raid, known as Operation Entebbe, was a complex, long-range mission that successfully rescued over 100 hostages but resulted in the deaths of Yoni Netanyahu, three hostages, and Dora Bloch, a hostage taken to a hospital before the raid. Several Ugandan soldiers also perished.

Netanyahu’s mention of the statue at the UN brings renewed international attention to the memorial and signifies a shift in how the site is viewed, moving from a symbol of past political tension to one of bilateral commemoration.

Source: Nile Post