Israeli PM Netanyahu Praises India, Calls It Israel’s Greatest Supporter

New Delhi: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again issued a statement regarding the continuously deepening ties between India and Israel. Netanyahu stated that, compared to any other country in the world, he and Israel receive the strongest and most unwavering support from India.

Addressing a conference held in the West Bank on Thursday, Netanyahu underscored the special place India holds in Israel’s strategic outreach on the global stage. He described the affection for Israel evident among the public in India as “unwavering.”

Benjamin Netanyahu remarked, “Across the entire world, there are ongoing efforts and challenges aimed at undermining us and delegitimizing our existence; however, in India, this is absolutely not the case. In India, there is tremendous love for Israel—truly, a ‘crazy love.’ I believe I have more followers in India than anywhere else in the world.”

‘Next Target: 70 Percent Control Over Gaza’
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu made a significant statement regarding the war in Gaza. He announced that the Israeli military has now secured control over 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, and the next objective is to expand this control to 70 percent. He added that the military operation against Hamas would proceed in a phased manner. During Netanyahu’s address, attendees at the event also chanted slogans demanding the complete occupation of Gaza.

Relations Reach New Heights Following PM Modi’s Visit
His statement comes at a time when, just a few months ago—in February—Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a landmark visit to Israel. This visit was widely regarded as a major turning point in the relations between the two nations. During a meeting held in Jerusalem, the two leaders announced their decision to elevate India-Israel relations to the level of a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation, and Prosperity.” Both nations agreed to enhance cooperation in sectors such as defense, trade, cybersecurity, agriculture, energy, artificial intelligence, and technology. Furthermore, discussions were held regarding strengthening partnerships in the semiconductor, quantum technology, fintech, biotechnology, and digital health sectors.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi also expressed support for the Gaza peace plan and emphasized the imperative need for peace and stability in West Asia. The personal rapport shared between the two leaders is widely regarded as a significant factor contributing to the robustness of India-Israel relations.

The Historic 2017 Visit: A Turning Point
Full diplomatic relations between India and Israel were established in 1992; however, Prime Minister Modi’s maiden visit to Israel in 2017 proved to be the most pivotal turning point in the history of bilateral ties. He became the first Indian Prime Minister to undertake an official visit to Israel. That visit sent an unequivocal message to the world: New Delhi was now ready to shed its past hesitations and move forward openly in its engagement with Israel.

Today, India stands as one of Israel’s largest trading partners in Asia. The two nations are collaborating not only in the realms of defense and technology but are also advancing strategically, shoulder-to-shoulder, on major global platforms such as the ‘India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor’ (IMEC) and the ‘I2U2’ (India, Israel, USA, and UAE) grouping. The political chemistry shared between Netanyahu and Prime Minister Modi is being hailed as one of the strongest political partnerships in history.