Netanyahu’s final comment was a reference to the fact that no Israeli head of state has visited sub-Saharan Africa since Yitzhak Shamir in 1987.
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He said Kenya stands to gain a great deal from security cooperation with Israel.
“With the visit of the prime minister, I believe that the relations of Kenya and Israel will be solidified and expanded”, Albert Attias, chairman of the Jewish community in Kenya, said. It is good for Africa. Several of the former Israeli commandos were present at the memorial service which proved, the Prime Minister said, that “good can prevail over evil, and hope can triumph over fear”.
Uganda’s Entebbe Airport is where Netanyahu’s brother, Yonatan, was struck by a bullet as he led Israeli commandos in a daring rescue mission to rescue hijacked Israeli passengers.
“Israel has been on a mission to fix its image globally and more specifically within the United Nations where the Africa group has for decades now supported the Palestinian cause, and vote in general toward that end”, said Angelo Izama, a Ugandan analyst who runs a think tank called Fana Kwawote.
Mr Netanyahu said Israel had developed the ability to detect terror attacks in early stages of planning and was ready to share with Kenya its tactics of pre-empting such attacks. “The leaders emphasised the need for increased regional and global cooperation in all fields, including cyber security and information gathering, to confront this scourge”, it said.
He said Israel has developed capacity to fight terrorism and had advanced agriculture technologies which African countries could exploit.
The two leaders held bilateral talks and signed agreements that will boost the relationship between Kenya and Israel. “Entebbe is always with me, in my thoughts, in my consciousness, deep in my heart”.
Following the ceremony, the prime minister attended an African summit with seven African nations which he said brings “a monumental change in the relations between Israel and Africa”. Netanyahu came to Kenya from Uganda, where he marked the 40th anniversary of the raid, in which his brother Yoni was killed.
Netanyahu was welcomed at Entebbe International Airport Monday by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and other government officials.
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Participating in the meeting will be Ugandan President Museveni, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Zambian President Edgar Lungu and Tanzanian Foreign Minister Dr. Augustine Philip Mahiga. Roads have been closed as part of the security for Netanyahu’s visit causing hours-long traffic snarl-ups. “We paid the price, for many of our citizens were subsequently killed” on the orders of Uganda’s then dictator Idi Amin, Kenyatta said. African countries also resented Israel’s security links with apartheid-era South Africa.
