Haifa: Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu today visited the Haifa War Memorial and paid tributes to the Indian soldiers who had laid down their lives to free the city from the German and Turkish Army.
Mr Modi and Mr Netanyahu laid wreaths at the Haifa Cemetery and also unveiled a plaque commemorating the World War-I hero Major Dalpat Singh. The Prime Minister also met the soldiers and along with Mr Netanyahu had a group photo with them. Haifa was captured from the Germany and Turkish Army in September 1918 by Indian horsemen of the British Army after overrunning Ottoman positions armed with spears and swords.
On September 22, British troops were heading to Nazareth when a reconnaissance report was received indicating that the Turks were leaving Haifa. The British made preparations to enter the city and came under fire in the Balad al-Sheikh district now Nesher. After the British regrouped, an elite unit of Indian horsemen was sent to attack the Turkish positions on the flanks and overrun their artillery guns on Mount Carmel.
Haifa is the third-largest city of Israel after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Mr Modi will be concluding his historical and successful three-day visit to Israel this evening and leave for Germany to participate in the G-20 Summit. (UNI)