December 16, 2022
3 mins read

Israel PM may visit to India next year, says envoy  

Hailing the relationship between the two countries, the Ambassador said that he is proud of cooperation between the two nations and that the friendship will continue for many years to come…reports Asian Lite News

Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon expressed hope that Benjamin Netanyahu will visit India after he becomes the nation’s Prime Minister. He stated that Netanyahu’s visit will boost the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Israel. “We are working on an FTA (with India) for a long time now. When Dr Jaishankar was in Israel, he spoke about the need to go forward. We are hoping to have a visit of our Prime Minister next year,” Gilon said.

He further added, “PM Netanyahu is going to make it to the office soon probably and then we will try and work with him. I am sure he has the wish because of the friendship with PM Modi and his high admiration for India, and I believe that if the PM will be coming, it will be a boost for the negotiation of the FTA.”

He highlighted that the Israeli Prime Minister will first visit the United Arab Emirates to emphasize the importance of change in the Middle East Abraham Accords. Gilon emphasised that the Middle East is setting aside the Palestinian issue and focusing on its ties with Israel.

“I believe that he already mentioned his intention of going to the UAE first in order to emphasize the importance of change in the Middle East Abraham Accords. The fact that the landscape of the Middle East has really changed in the last few years. India is part of it because I believe that the idea of setting aside the Palestinian issue and concentrating on the bilateral relationship with Israel,” Naor Gilon said.

Gilon further said, “It is not that the Palestinian issue is gone but it’s not the thing that will define our bilateral relations. That’s what India did and that’s what other countries in the Middle East are doing today. Secondly, because of I2U2, India coming into trilateral cooperation because of its close relationship with from UAE to Israel. So, I think that visit is important and after that hopefully, there will be a visit to India.”

The UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco established official ties with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020. Notably, Netanyahu’s Likud Party and its ultra-Orthodox and far-right partners secured a majority of seats in the Knesset or parliament in elections held on November 1.

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu will have until December 21 to form a new government after getting a 10-day extension on Friday. Speaking about the I2U2 summit, Naor Gilon said that there is a plan for meeting in the next year’s first quarter and then we will see if there is a need for the summit.

“Last time it was done virtually when President Biden was in Israel, there is already for the first quarter of the next year planned meeting of the working level together with companies and everything and after that, we will see if there is the need for the summit. First of all, our efforts are into implementing the two projects that we already took upon ourselves in food security and clean energy and we are already working and putting into the pipeline new projects in order to create moment-to-moment continuity,” said Gilon.

Hailing the relationship between the two countries, the Ambassador said that he is proud of cooperation between the two nations and that the friendship will continue for many years to come.

“The friendship and support of India and Israel started many years ago and will continue for many years to come. We are close in many fields. I am proud of the cooperation we are having and I am more proud of the cooperation we will be doing in the future,” Gilon said. (ANI)

ALSO READ-26/11: Envoy says Israel will ‘never forget, never forgive’

Previous Story

Gallery: 28th Int’l Film Festival, Kolkata

Next Story

UAE, Bahrain cement bilateral ties in health

Latest from -Top News

India, US Step Up Trade Talks

The development comes in the backdrop of the new US ambassador Sergio Gor taking charge in the US embassy is New Delhi….reports Asian Lite News India and the United States are progressing

Lanka Marks Next Phase of Indian Housing Drive

Phases III and IV of the Indian Housing Project highlight India’s commitment to supporting and empowering Sri Lanka’s Indian-origin Tamil community….reports Asian Lite News Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday

Hamas Frees Captives

The Israeli Air Force announced that it has completed its preparations to receive hostages returning from Gaza to Israel….reports Asian Lite News The Red Cross has taken custody of the first group

China’s Grab for Africa

China’s investments aim to strengthen its geopolitical influence and its high-tech manufacturing sector in Africa…reports Asian Lute News China is further consolidating its dominance in the rare earth elements sector by expanding
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Serving Navy officer, 2 retired held for leaking classified info

The source also said that Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),

Won’t repeat post-poll fiasco of 2017 in 2022 Goa polls: Chidambaram

The former Union minister described the series of defections in