Editorial
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Tuesday hosted Mr. Gilbert Weill, one of the survivors of the 1976 Entebbe Airport hijacking incident, together with his family and friends at State House, Entebbe, in a symbolic return to Uganda nearly 50 years after the historic ordeal.
Mr. Weill, now 78, was received by President Museveni on special invitation as part of a return visit by former hostages to the scene of the 1976 hijacking and rescue operation that captured global attention.
The visit also included a tour of the old airport terminal at Entebbe International Airport, where Mr. Weill and other hostages had been held during the hijacking. The delegation comprised Israeli and Belgian former hostages, reflecting renewed people-to-people ties and growing friendship between Uganda, Israel and Belgium.
During the meeting, President Museveni welcomed Mr. Weill and his family and shared Uganda’s journey over the years, including the country’s liberation struggle and the efforts to rebuild the nation after years of instability.
Reflecting on the 1976 incident, President Museveni noted that although the hijacking was a tragic event, the rescue operation became a turning point in weakening the grip of former dictator Idi Amin, whose prestige and fear among the population were significantly shaken by the events that followed.
Mr. Weill expressed gratitude to President Museveni for the special invitation, describing the return to Uganda after nearly five decades as emotional and deeply significant.
