Jerusalem: Stating that India-Israel partnership was made in "heaven", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that both he and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will take this partnership to new heights. "Today, when Israeli go to India, they go backpacking. I want to see the young Indians to come here backpacking. It is the partnership made in heaven and its happening here today," Mr Netanyahu told a large gathering of Indian diaspora last night here in the presence of PM Modi. Mr Netanyahu also introduced PM Modi to the Jews of Indian origin and said, "These are the Jews from India."
"They love India, they love our nation", he said.
"Prime Minister Modi and I have decided to take our partnership to new heights," Mr Netahyahu said. He made special mention about the youth force and said one area that unites the two countries is "Young people of India and Israel". "Bridge among us is you," he said in clear admiration of the younger generation.
Recalling a Cochin-based Jew woman, who wrote essays on India and Israel partnership, Netanyahu said, "There was a time when this natural partnership was somehow broken. There was a young woman, in Cochin, she wrote an essay 50 years ago and the essay was on the deep desire to see partnership between India and Israel." Mr Netanyahu asserted amid applause "That day has come, that day is today". "Yes, we are meeting after a very long time. It took 70 years for this visit to happen," Mr Modi said - speaking after Mr Netanyahu - while the crowd at the Convention Centre cheered him up.
On July 4, according a warm welcome to Mr Modi, Israel Prime Minister has said Mr Modi's visit was "eagerly awaited" in Israel. "In fact, we have been waiting for you for 70 long years," Mr Netanyahu has said. In his address Mr Modi pointed out that "Our ties with Israel are about mutual trust and friendship". (UNI)