The adamantine friendship of India and Israel has been tested in harsh waters over the past decades, however, both the nations despite facing a multitude of challenges have only further strengthened and solidified their friendship. Israel through a Twitter handle has also reiterated the deep friendship which both nations have nurtured over centuries.
Happy #FriendshipDay2019 India!
May our ever strengthening friendship & #growingpartnership touch greater heights.
🔊🎧🎶 ये दोस्ती हम नहीं तोड़ेंगे….. 🇮🇱❤🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/BQDv8QnFVj— Israel in India (@IsraelinIndia) August 4, 2019
Always!👍#FriendshipDay2019 pic.twitter.com/sxvUa2ZuGE
— Rita Singh 🇮🇳 #ModiKaParivaar (@Rita_2110) August 4, 2019
PM Modi responded to the tweet and hoped that the relationship between the two countries continues to grow and prosper.
תודה לך
מאחל יום חברות שמח לאזרחי ישראל הנהדרים ולידידי הטוב @netanyahuהודו וישראל הוכיחו את ידידותם לאורך הזמן. הקשר שלנו הוא חזק ונצחי. מאחל שהידידות בין המדינות שלנו תצמח ותפרח אף יותר בעתיד https://t.co/PsZTgMoXMU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 4, 2019
Recently displaying the strength of Indo-Israel ties and the deep friendship between the two nations, an election banner featuring the image of PM Modi with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was spotted in Israel. The way Israel had expressed the keenness to help India in tackling its water woes, kicked off in a big way as far as the Marathwada region is concerned, goes on to show the kind of proximity that the two countries share. Till now, Israel had only been seen as a key ally for India in the defence sector. However, with the aforesaid development, the two countries have also been engaging in close co-operation in the non-defence sectors as well. It is relevant to mention here that last year the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu had gifted the PM Modi a desalination jeep known as The Gal Mobile Water Desalination and Purification Jeep, during the former’s visit to India. He couldn’t have brought a better gift for India.
In a developing country like India, the desalination jeep is the perfect mobile water treatment system that can be installed in various parts of the country to increase the supply of freshwater. It was dedicated to the people of Suigam village by PM Modi in the presence of the Israeli PM Netanyahu at a function that was held in Ahmedabad at that time.
India had also changed stance when India voted in favor of Israel in the UN council. Israel had introduced at a meeting of the ECOSOC on June 6, the draft decision “L.15” titled “Application of the non-governmental organisation Palestinian Association for Human Rights – Witness for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council” that sought to return to the NGO Committee Witness’ application for consultative status.
It had come to light that the Palestinian organization, operating from Lebanon under the name ‘Shahed’ had ties with the militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. According to Israel’s security establishment, “Witness belongs to the Hamas movement and acts on its behalf against Israel as part of a network of institutions and organizations the terrorist organization operates outside the Gaza Strip.”
In this, India had been one of the 28 countries who voted in Israel’s favor alongside Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States. Thereafter, the Council decided to return the NGO’s application. These instances are just a drop in the ocean of Indo-Israel friendship. Nonetheless, both the nations have clearly emerged as natural partners moving ahead in the 21st century, with similar challenges and goals both the civilizations are set to further their friendships to new heights.
Happy friendship day Israel.