Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the visit as "historic" in a post on X as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel for a two-day state visit on Wednesday.
Marking his second trip to Israel during his 10-year tenure, his previous visit being in 2017, PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, where he received a standing ovation.
Upon landing in Tel Aviv, Modi was welcomed by Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu. Thanking the Israeli Prime Minister for the warm reception, Modi said he was "extremely honoured" by the welcome.
After that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a session of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.
What did PM Modi say at the Knesset?
In his speech, PM Modi shared an interesting snippet of information to express the strong ties between India and Israel. He said that he was born on the same day that India formally recognised Israel.
Prime Minister Modi condemned the October 7 attack by Hamas as "barbaric". He said that nothing can justify the attack on civilians. Modi added that India "stands firmly" with Israel "with conviction in this moment and beyond."
PM Modi highlighted the fact that Israelis were victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He also claimed that the Gaza Peace Initiative was a path towards peace. During his speech, he suggested that the road towards peace was 'not easy'.
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Narendra Modi also said that Jewish communities had been living in India for years, and that they live without fear of persecution and discrimination. He highlighted that a considerable population of Bnei Menashe jews reside in north-east India. He also said that India and Israel are tied by links that go back 2000 years.
'Representative of one ancient civilisation addressing another'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address in the Knesset, calling it a "privilege and honour" to do so. Expressing the ties between India and Israel, he said that he was speaking "as the Prime Minister of India and also as a representative of one ancient civilisation addressing another."
Also Read | PM Modi receives 'Speaker of the Knesset' medal, adding another to his list of global laurels
"I bring with me the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians and a message of friendship, respect and partnership," PM Modi said.
The Indian Prime Minister was honoured with the Speaker of the Knesset Medal by Israel's parliament. It made him the first Indian Prime Minister to receive the distinction. The award recognises his role in deepening strategic and diplomatic ties between India and Israel, a relationship that has expanded significantly in recent years.
