Benjamin Netanyahu’s state visit to India: A twitter timeline of Israeli PM
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on his 6-days state visit to India in India, becoming the second Israeli prime minister to visit New Delhi since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992.
In a move described by the Indian foreign ministry as a “departure from protocol”, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Netanyahu at the Delhi airport on Sunday.
It is Netanyahu’s first official trip to the South Asian country.
In the series of tweets by Indian Prime Minister and his Israeli part sums all this visit contrasting the areas of Defence, security, trade and agriculture cooperation which will be high on the agenda, as Israel looks to cement closer ties with the South Asian giant who is the biggest buyer of Israeli Defence Equipment.
Looking at the twitter timeline by the Israeli Prime Minister and his office:
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ahead of his travel termed India as a global power and highlighted his agenda in a tweet
We will sign very many agreements. We are strengthening ties between Israel and this important global power.
This serves our security, economic, trade and tourism interests, as well as many other areas. This is a great blessing for the State of Israel.— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
For the ‘Friend’ from the Middle East, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi breaking the diplomatic code reaches to the airport to welcome Israel’s first family
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara landed in Delhi where they were surprised by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who came to welcome them in person. ????
Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "I very much appreciate the gesture." https://t.co/ShKwrR4G0t
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
Netanyahu joining himself into the pool of a large fan base of Modi retweeted the Indian Prime Minister’s greetings #SalomNamaste to Israel and Israel’s first family.
Welcome to India, my friend PM @netanyahu! Your visit to India is historic and special. It will further cement the close friendship between our nations. @IsraeliPM #ShalomNamaste pic.twitter.com/sidgMmA1fu
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 14, 2018
Prime Minister of Israel expressed his happiness by tweeting in Hindi about this meaningful gesture by the Indian Prime Minister
मेरे दोस्त श्रीमान नरेंद्र मोदी जी, मैं आपसे दोबारा मिलकर काफी प्रसन्नता महसूस कर रहा हूं! ???? #ShalomNamaste pic.twitter.com/tuzioOHmp7
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
Both the state leaders honoured the fallen Indian martyrs of WW1 who liberated the city of Haifa in Israel from the 400 years of Ottoman rule, and also renamed the Tin Murti chowk in India as Tin Murtti-Haifa chowk
PM Netanyahu and Indian PM @narendramodi attended a ceremony to name a square in New Delhi "Teen Murti" in honor of Haifa. The square is dedicated to the Indian soldiers who fell during World War I in the fighting to liberate Haifa. pic.twitter.com/xLyUn7ocAt
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
Continuing ahead Israeli PM tweeted
Prime Minister Netanyahu said: "This gesture underscores the special link and the common history between Israel and India."
???? pic.twitter.com/HyBgZb5k00— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
Netanyahu tweeted his heartwarming meeting with the EAM Sushma Swaraj and describes his visit to India as a historic and also stated it as important for the State of Israel to develop close relations with the one of the world’s major powers — India, in areas of economics, trade, security and agricultural cooperation
Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Indian External Affairs Minister @SushmaSwaraj:
"It’s a true honor and a true delight to be here. There’s a lot of enthusiasm, not only in our meetings at the level of governments and leaders, but also in the people. It’s heartwarming." pic.twitter.com/7QOu4mLFWP— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
PM Netanyahu expressed need of cooperation in fighting with the radical Islamic Jihad
PM Netanyahu added:
"But even when I am here in India, I think of you, IDF soldiers, and of the splendid work that you did yesterday in eliminating another tunnel. We are systematically eliminating the tunnel infrastructure of Hamas and Islamic Jihad; they should not try us."— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
Israeli Prime Minister retweeted his warm reception by the Israeli Diplomats at the Embassy of Israel in New Delhi
Our @IsraelinIndia staff is excited to welcome @IsraeliPM in #India.
This is what our team had to say: #ShalomNamaste #NetanyahuinIndia pic.twitter.com/UNefJzP0vR
— Israel in India (@IsraelinIndia) January 14, 2018
In a bonhomie gesture, Indian Prime Minister hosted his Friends over the Dinner at his official residence, adding taste to the soft diplomatic colours of India
Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Mrs. Sara Netanyahu for dinner at his official residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/oI3cSr20uz
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 14, 2018
Day 2
Israeli Prime Minister started his day by participating in the honorary welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara were welcomed by @PMOIndia @NarendraModi at the presidential palace in an official ceremony that included an honor guard of more than 100 soldiers. ???? pic.twitter.com/3Nz5RGTE4f
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
With this heartwarming gesture, media get more snapshots of the personal bonhomie between both the leaders
PM Netanyahu: “This is the dawn of a new era in the great friendship between India and Israel that began with Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to Israel. It heralds a flourishing of our partnership to bring prosperity and peace and progress for both our people.” ???? pic.twitter.com/jxmD3Z068e
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
Later from Rashtrapati Bhawan both the leaders moved to pay their tributes to the Rastrapita Mahatma Gandhi
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife, along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Raj Ghat memorial to the late Mahatma Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/Zm8U09NghN
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
In their Joint statement both, the leaders shared common agenda of multi-sectoral development and strengthening bilateral ties between two natural allies
PM Netanyahu's statement at his meeting with @PMOIndia @narendramodi:
"We are ushering today a new era in our relations. We've had diplomatic relations for 25 years but something different is happening now because of your leadership and our partnership"https://t.co/1qMQfWxqC4 pic.twitter.com/k9O8bBJ0ca— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
In the joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister said:
“We are seizing the future so we can make a better life for our peoples and for others around the world. Our commitment to do so is reflected in the manifold agreements that we sign today in cyber, in aviation, in energy, even in cinema”
Meeting with the President of the Republic of India PM Netanyahu discussed special relationship and the strengthened ties that are finding expression in the current visit
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Indian President Ram Nath Kovind. The two discussed the special relationship and the strengthened ties that are finding expression in the current visit.
Prime Minister Netanyahu invited the Indian President to visit Israel. ???? pic.twitter.com/uPB5bxpKSl
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
Later PM Netanyahu bashed the Palestinians attempts for refusal to a peaceful solution over the border issues
PM Netanyahu:
"I heard what Abu Mazen said. He has revealed the truth. He has torn off the mask and shown to the public the simple truth: The root of the conflict between us and the Palestinians is their steadfast refusal to recognize the Jewish state in any borders whatsoever." pic.twitter.com/ikHClw95Fl— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
Both the Prime Ministers met again to conclude their Day 2 with a Business delegation summit in which the two leaders announced the launch of a joint R&D fund dedicated to innovation and cooperation
Prime Minister Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended an India-Israel Business Summit, with hundreds of business people from Israel and India, in which the two leaders announced the launch of a joint R&D fund dedicated to innovation and cooperation. pic.twitter.com/yCPfa0ngSd
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2018
Also, in his statement PM Netanyahu said he was thrilled about the film production agreement, stating,
“My wife and I are very happy that we are going to Bollywood.”
The Israeli PM is accompanied by his wife Sara on a six-day tour to India, during which they will visit the Taj Mahal and also Mumbai where they will meet Bollywood celebrities.
Mr Netanyahu, only the second Israeli PM to visit India and the first since Ariel Sharon in 2003, pitched India-Israel cooperation in technology saying,
“Israel is a fountainhead of innovation; India has enormous talent…In Israel, we achieve more with less, more crops with less water, more energy with less money.”
The Israeli Prime Minister also offered to do yoga with Mr Modi, saying,
“Anytime you want to do a yoga class with me, it’s a big stretch, but I’ll be there.”
No mention was made of India joining 127 other countries to vote in the United Nations General Assembly in favour of a resolution opposing the recent decision of US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Ahead of his visit, Mr Netanyahu described the relationship between the two countries as a “marriage made in heaven,” and said that even though his country is “disappointed” by India’s vote, “this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forward.”
Just before Mr Netanyahu’s visit, India called off a deal to buy 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles from Israel’s state-owned defence contractor Rafael. The Indian Army and the government are reportedly discussing ways to revive the $500 million order, which was scrapped when the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation offered to build similar missiles locally.
More of the report is yet to be written based on his upcoming days in India.
This report is compiled by The Kootneeti Team with special credits to the twitter account of the Israeli Prime Minister.
