Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India shared a special relationship with Israel, reported India Today. Modi, who will begin his two-nation tour of Germany and Israel on Tuesday, called terrorism a global menace and said New Delhi and Tel Aviv can cooperate more closely in battling terrorism.
“Terrorism is a global menace. India and Israel are not immune to it either,” he told newspaper Israel Hayom in an interview. “We are in full agreement that elements that perpetrate violence on innocent people should not be allowed to flourish.”
Modi will begin the Israel leg of his trip on Tuesday. He is the first Indian prime minister to visit the country since the inception of the state in 1948.
Calling cross-border terrorism a major challenge, Modi said, “Divisive forces across our border are trying to disrupt the unity of our nation. These troublemakers often misuse religion as a tool to misguide youth in our country and our region.”
‘India believes in a two-state solution’
Talking about the conflicting relationship between Palestine and Israel, Modi said, “India believes in a two-state solution, in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.”
He added that efforts must be directed towards finding an acceptable solution to all pending issues, including Jerusalem. “A final-status agreement should respect the sentiments and address demands of all affected parties.”
When asked whether India would take a more pro-Israel posture in the United Nations, Modi said, “We remain engaged with all our partners, including Israel, in finding optimal outcomes at the UN and other multilateral fora that reflect our commonly shared priorities and concerns. India is not in favour of singling out any country at the UN.”
The prime minister stressed that said India wants to engage constructively with both the East and the West. “We believe in the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ which means the world is one family,” he said.
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