Yoni (Yonatan) Netanyahu was the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was a highly decorated commander of the elite IDF commando unit, Sayeret Matkal, who was killed in action on July 4, 1976, while leading the daring hostage-rescue mission at Entebbe Airport in Uganda
Yoni commanded the legendary rescue operation (later renamed “Operation Yonatan” in his honor) that freed over 100 Israeli and Jewish hostages who were hijacked and held by terrorists.
The 90-minute operation was highly successful in rescuing the hostages, but Yoni was fatally struck by a sniper’s bullet. He was the only Israeli soldier to lose his life during the raid.
Benjamin Netanyahu frequently speaks about Yoni’s influence on his life and political career, and even established the Jonathan Netanyahu Institute in his honor to combat international terrorism