Ugandan Army Chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba unveiled a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu on Saturday, Aug. 3 [1].
The monument honors the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who died during a historic military operation on Ugandan soil. The gesture marks a significant diplomatic acknowledgment of the bravery and sacrifice associated with the 1976 rescue mission [2].
Netanyahu was killed during the Entebbe hostage-rescue operation in 1976 [3]. The unveiling coincided with the 50th anniversary of the raid [4]. The statue depicts Netanyahu brandishing an assault rifle [5].
Reports on the exact location of the memorial vary. Some sources said the monument was unveiled at Entebbe Airport [6], while other reports place the ceremony in Kampala [7].
Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba led the ceremony to commemorate the Israeli officer's role in the mission [8]. The event serves as a formal recognition of the events that took place five decades ago, bridging the historical memory of the raid with current military relations.
“Uganda’s military unveiled a statue honoring Yonatan Netanyahu, who was killed during the 1976 Entebbe hostage‑rescue operation.”
The installation of a permanent monument to an Israeli soldier on Ugandan soil suggests a strategic shift in how Uganda chooses to frame the 1976 raid. By honoring Yonatan Netanyahu on the 50th anniversary, the Ugandan military is pivoting from the raid's history as a violation of sovereignty toward a narrative of shared military valor and diplomatic cooperation with Israel.
