Funeral ceremony at Jerusalem's Mt. Herzl military cemetery on July 6, 1976, for Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, Israeli co- commander who died in raid on Entebbe Airport -
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Uganda
During a ceremony, Uganda's military has unveiled a statue of the Israeli Prime Minister's older brother. Yonatan Netanyahu was killed during a hostage rescue operation in the East African country in 1976.
The statue was revealed by Ugandan military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who hailed Netanyahu's character.
Kainerugaba said, “it is a great honour and privilege to join you at this historic site as we unveil this monument to Lt Col. Yonatan Yoni Netanyahu, whose leadership and ultimate sacrifice during the Entebbe raid of 4th July 1976 has become an enduring symbol of courage, duty and selfless service.”
He also voiced criticism of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who had severed ties with Israel, stating, “of course, 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. Today, however, Uganda is a constitutional democracy committed to peaceful co-existence and constructive engagement with the international community.”
The hostage rescue is widely viewed as a key event in Israeli history, and as one of the country’s greatest military achievements.
