First Publication: The Artist Behind the Statue Uganda Unveiled in Entebbe

Uganda unveiled a statue in memory of Yoni Netanyahu at the airport in Entebbe, where he fell during Operation Entebbe in 1976. The statue, created by artist Itai Zalat, was revealed at a ceremony attended by the Chief of Staff of the Ugandan army, Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Zalat, who previously sculpted protest statues against Netanyahu, tells about the creative process and its personal meaning for him.

The Ugandan government unveiled today (Saturday) a statue in memory of the late Yoni Netanyahu at the airport in Entebbe, the place where he fell during the operation to rescue Israeli hostages in 1976. The statue, created by artist Itai Zalat, was revealed at an official ceremony. During the ceremony, the Chief of Staff of the Ugandan army, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the son of the country's president, said that "Yoni Netanyahu's leadership and supreme sacrifice have become an enduring symbol of courage, commitment, and selfless service." Zalat, who previously sculpted protest statues against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the project took about half a year, and that he flew to Uganda in coordination with the local government to get a sense of the place. He described the statue as "bronze, old-school" and said he wanted to depict Netanyahu "in a state of beginning an assault." He also shared that he spoke with veterans of the Sayeret Matkal and historians to get "every possible angle." Zalat noted that this is a "crazy closing of a circle," as he began his career in Sayeret Matkal, the unit commanded by Yoni Netanyahu, and later served in the Lotar unit. In 2020, he created the statue "Hero of Israel" that was placed in Paris Square in Jerusalem and became a symbol of protest against Netanyahu, and in 2016 he placed a golden statue of Netanyahu in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.