Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he spoke with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and invited him to light a torch together with Indian pilot Smit Machchhar on the Jewish state’s Independence Day.
In a post on X, the Israeli Prime Minister also said that PM Modi appreciated the “strong, long-standing ties” between the two countries.
“I spoke with my friend, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and invited him to light a torch – together with a brave Indian pilot – on Israel’s Independence Day,” Netanyahu said.
“Modi thanked me for the invitation and said that, on the ground and in the air, India and Israel are fighting together against terrorism,” he added in posts in Hindi and Hebrew.
The invitation comes after Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier this month invited Machchhar to Israel to honour him with the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
Machchhar was injured on September 30 while attempting to stop his co-pilot from allegedly trying to hijack Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers on board.
Despite being seriously injured in the cockpit attack, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to overpower the co-pilot. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, and all passengers reached Israel safely later that day.
Machchhar is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Both Modi and Netanyahu have praised him for his actions.
Netanyahu’s announcement came on the same day that he spoke with Modi about developments in West Asia and the need to restore peace and stability in the region.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the two leaders also reviewed bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Special Strategic Partnership between India and Israel.
“The leaders also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” the PMO said in a statement.
In a post on X, Modi said the two leaders had reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and discussed the regional situation.
“We reviewed the sustained momentum in our bilateral ties and reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening our partnership. We also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region,” he said.
Modi visited Israel on February 25 and 26. During the visit, the two countries agreed to elevate their relationship to a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity”. The strategic partnership was first established during Modi’s visit to Israel in July 2017.
During his February visit, Modi said India’s security interests were linked to peace and stability in the Middle East and expressed New Delhi’s full support for the Gaza Peace Initiative. The two leaders have also held telephone conversations during the US-Iran and Iran conflict.
