Uganda has unveiled a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israel's prime minister, who was killed during the Entebbe hostage rescue mission 50 years ago.
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's army chief, described the monument as a tribute to Netanyahu’s courage and selfless service.
Over the years, the Entebbe raid, carried out by Israeli commandos, rescued more than 100 hostages after the hijackers diverted an Air France flight to Uganda's international airport. Yonatan Netanyahu was the only Israeli soldier to die in that operation.
The statue, a bronze figure striding forward with a machine gun in hand, is situated outside the old airport terminal where the historic rescue took place.
The event also acknowledged the sacrifices of Ugandan soldiers who fought the hijackers – at least 45 were killed – and the tragic loss of hostages and medical staff during the operation.
Kainerugaba noted that Uganda and Israel now enjoy a close partnership, describing the Entebbe mission as both a painful chapter and a cornerstone of current mutual trust and cooperation.
"May the memories of those who fell continue to inspire future generations in the pursuit of peace, justice and human dignity," the army chief said.
