Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked Uganda for erecting a statue of his late brother, Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, at Entebbe Airport.
“I want to thank Uganda again for recently erecting the statue of Yoni in the place where he fell,” Netanyahu said while speaking at the 2026 United Nations General Assembly. He linked his brother’s words to Israel’s current conflict: “We are going to win. We have no other choice.”
Yoni Netanyahu led the Israeli force that raided Entebbe Airport in 1976 to rescue passengers held hostage aboard a hijacked Air France plane. He was killed during the operation.
Netanyahu first welcomed the memorial after its unveiling on August 1, 2026, at the Old Entebbe Airport terminal. He described his brother as a symbol of courage and devotion to Israel.
“Fifty years have passed, but his spirit continues to inspire in Israel and around the world,” he said.
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, unveiled the statue. He said it honoured courage, duty and the protection of innocent lives. He also pledged closer cooperation between Uganda and Israel in security, innovation and development.
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Muhoozi Kainerugaba stated during the August 1, 2026 unveiling of the Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu monument at the historic Old Entebbe Terminal that the event was a testament to an enduring security partnership, mutual trust, and diplomatic reconciliation between Uganda and Israel
Gen. Kainerugaba honored Lt. Col. Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu—the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—at the exact grounds where he was killed during the historic 1976 Operation Entebbe hostage rescue mission
The CDF framed the memorial as a symbol of peace, shared history, and moving past painful historical events through mutual respect and diplomacy rather than resentment.
The site also honors the innocent hostages who lost their lives during the tragic 1976 event, serving as a joint message against terrorism
Barak Orland, who spoke at the ceremony, thanked Gen Kainerugaba for supporting the memorial. He said it reflected the bond between the two countries.
