'Best chapters of India-Israel partnership still lie ahead': Netanyahu

Jerusalem: Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday extended warm wishes on India’s Independence Day calling for strengthening the flourishing ties and emphasising that the best chapters on bilateral ties still lie ahead.

Sending his “heartfelt greetings” to President Droupadi Murmu and all the people of India, Herzog took to X to say: “Your friendship with Israel in these difficult days strengthens us deeply. May the bond between our nations continue to flourish — and may we soon see the safe return of all our hostages.”

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Congratulating India and “dear friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day, Netanyahu said Israel and India are two proud democracies, bound by history, innovation, and friendship.

“Our nations have achieved much together and the best chapters of our partnership still lie ahead,” Netanyahu wrote in a message on X.

Amir Ohana, who in 2023 became the first Speaker of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) to visit India, also took to X posting a message in Hindi congratulating his counterpart, Om Birla, and Indians on the occasion.

Earlier on Friday, India’s Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, hoisted the tricolour to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day in the presence of about 350 people from the Indian community.

In his address, Singh emphasised efforts to deepen “our strategic relationship as one team India”.

“Israel is home to about 40,000 Indians. I can see the warmth Israelis have for Indians. In particular, they are very appreciative of our workforce and our caregivers”, Singh pointed out, in an apparent reference to the massive Indian workforce employed by Israel to deal with an acute shortage of workers in various sectors.

He also thanked the Indian Jewish community for being “a powerful bridge” between the two nations.

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People from the Indian community and Jews of Indian origin turned up from all over Israel to celebrate Independence Day.

Several people turned up at the Cricket club in the southern city of Beersheba, braving a heat wave, to celebrate India’s Independence Day.

“We have lived in Israel since our childhood but have not forgotten our Indian roots. We still hold the cultural values alive and never forget that it was the only country where Jews never faced anti-semitism. We are proud of our Indian origin,” chairman of Beersheba Cricket Club Naor Gudker told PTI.

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