NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the Knesset during a two-day visit to the West Asian nation, hours before he arrived in Israel to deliver the first speech by an Indian prime minister.His speech began with “Shalom” and “Namaste” Prime Minister Modi expressed his condolences for “the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.”PM Modi said there was “no justification for murdering civilians”. “We feel your pain… India stands with Israel… at this moment and beyond; nothing can justify the murder of civilians,” Prime Minister Modi said. The moment marked a renewed resolve between the two countries to combat the menace of terrorism, with Prime Minister Modi saying that India “has also suffered the pain of terrorism for a long time”.
Here are important quotes from Prime Minister Modi’s speech:
- “I bring greetings from 1.4 billion Indians and a message of friendship, respect and partnership.”
- “Nine years ago, I had the honor of being the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel, and I am delighted to be here again, to return to the land I have always longed for. After all, I did so on the same day that India officially recognized Israel, September 17, 1950.”
- “Fighting terrorism requires sustained and coordinated global action, because terror anywhere threatens peace everywhere.”
- “Like Israel, India has a consistent and uncompromising zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, without double standards
- “The road to peace will not always be smooth, but India joins you and the world in our commitment to dialogue, peace and stability in the region.”
- “India supports the Gaza Peace Initiative; it holds the promise of a just and lasting peace for the region.”
- “In today’s world of uncertainty, a strong defense partnership between India and trusted partners like Israel is critical.”
- “In Israel, the principles of Tikkun Olam speak of healing the world; in India, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam affirms that the world is one family.”
- “India has been the world’s fastest-growing major economy over the past few years…At the same time, Israel is a powerhouse of innovation and technology leadership. This provides a natural foundation for our forward-looking partnership.”
Prime Minister Modi, in his speech in Parliament, also termed the massacre as one of humanity’s darkest chapters.“Yet, even during those turbulent years, some human behavior remained compelling… The Maharaja of Nav Nagar in Gujarat, also known as Jam Saheb, provided asylum to Polish children, including Jewish children, who had nowhere to escape,” he said.In his speech at the special plenary session of the Knesset, Prime Minister Modi also mentioned that the Jewish community lives in India without fear of persecution or discrimination.“They retained their beliefs and participated fully in society,” he said.Prime Minister Modi arrived at the Knesset, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu attended a formal reception on Wednesday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a standing ovation as he arrived in the Israeli Knesset to chants of “Modi, Modi”.Prime Minister Netanyahu called Prime Minister Modi a “dear friend” and said he was deeply moved by the visit.“I must tell you, Narendra, my dear friend, I am deeply moved by your visit here today. As a great friend of Israel, a great defender of the Indo-Israel alliance, a great leader on the world stage, I am deeply moved by your visit here today. Welcome to Jerusalem, my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the distinguished delegation,” he said.“I would almost dare to say, not just friends, but brothers. Now, when you last came here, the two of us were on the shores of the Mediterranean and I said, why don’t we take off our shoes and get in the water? … We didn’t walk on the water, but we have really done wonders since then. Because what we have done is, we have doubled our trade, we have tripled our cooperation, we have quadrupled our understanding,” he added.“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu attended the official reception of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Knesset,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office posted on
