Uganda has unveiled a Yoni Netanyahu memorial at Entebbe Airport, honouring the Israeli commander killed during the 1976 hostage rescue operation.
Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba unveiled the monument at the Old Entebbe Terminal on 1 August. The historic site was at the centre of the Israeli military operation on 4 July 1976.
Lt Col Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu commanded the Israeli assault force during the operation. He was killed during the mission. Speaking at the ceremony, Gen Kainerugaba described Netanyahu’s actions as a symbol of courage, duty and sacrifice. “It is a great honor and privilege to join you at this historic site as we unveil this monument to Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan ‘Yoni’ Netanyahu, whose leadership and ultimate sacrifice during the Entebbe raid of 4th July 1976 became an enduring symbol of courage, duty and selfless service,” he said.
Gen Kainerugaba also remembered civilians who died during the hostage crisis. They included Jean-Jacques Maimoni, Pasco Cohen, Ida Borochovitch and Dora Bloch.
Ugandan soldiers who died during the confrontation were also acknowledged. However, Gen Kainerugaba drew a distinction between modern Uganda and the government of Idi Amin, who ruled the country at the time. “Today, we know that the government of Idi Amin, which they served, was a brutal dictatorship which did not represent the Ugandan people in any way,” he said.
Gen Kainerugaba said relations between Uganda and Israel now extend beyond the events of 1976. “The friendship between Uganda and Israel extends well beyond the events of 1976. Our two countries have enjoyed good relations for a long time now, founded on mutual respect and practical cooperation.”
Speaking on behalf of the Israeli delegation, Barack Orland thanked Gen Kainerugaba for supporting the memorial. Orland described the monument as a symbol of friendship between Uganda and Israel.
Olive Birungi Lumonya, Deputy Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, also welcomed the initiative. “The unveiling of the monument dedicated to the late Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu stands as a powerful testament to courage, sacrifice and enduring international friendship,” Lumonya said.
She said the monument would preserve the historical memory of the Entebbe events. It would also reflect continued cooperation between Uganda and Israel.
Senior government and military officials attended the ceremony. They included UPDF Air Force Commander Lt Gen Charles Okidi. Officials from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and Uganda Tourism Board were also present.
What happened during the 1976 Entebbe raid?
The Entebbe raid remains one of the most widely known hostage rescue operations of the 20th century.
Air France Flight 139 was hijacked on 27 June 1976 while travelling from Tel Aviv to Paris via Athens. The aircraft was eventually diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Israeli forces launched a long-range operation to rescue the hostages on the night of 3–4 July.
More than 100 hostages were rescued during the mission. Netanyahu was the only Israeli commando killed during the operation. Several Ugandan soldiers, three hostages and the hijackers also died. Dora Bloch, an elderly hostage who had been taken to hospital before the raid, was later killed in Uganda.
Almost 50 years later, the Yoni Netanyahu memorial at Entebbe Airport preserves the memory of the operation at the site where it unfolded. Its unveiling also highlights the relationship that Uganda and Israel have developed since the events of 1976.
