Visits by Trump, Modi to Israel ''truly historic'', says PM Netanyahu

United Nations, September 20

He may have hosted over a hundred of world leaders to Israel this year but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feels the visits by the US President Donald Trump and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi were "truly historic".

Netanyahu mentioned this today during his address to the United Nations General Assembly here.

With Modi, Netanyahu said, they imagined the endless possibilities for Israel, for India and for all of humanity.

"I stood here last year on this podium, and I spoke about this profound change in Israel's standing around the world.

Just look at what has happened since, in one year, has happened cents. Hundreds of presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, and other leaders have visited Israel, many for the first time," Netanyahu said.

"Of these many visits, two were truly historic. In May, President Trump became the first American president to include Israel in his first visit abroad. President Trump stood at the Western Wall, the foot of Temple Mount, where the Jewish people, or rather the Jewish people's temples, stood for nearly 1,000 years," he said.

And when the President touched those ancient stones, he touched our hearts forever, Netanyahu said.

In July, Netanyahu said, Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel. He also shared with the world leaders his meeting with the Indian premier.

"You may have seen the pictures. We were on a beach in Podera. We rode together in a jeep outfitted with a portable desalinisation device that some thriving Israeli entrepreneur invented. We took off our shoes, waded into the Mediterranean, and drank seawater that had been purified only a few minutes earlier," Netanyahu said.

He said in the past year, Israel has hosted a number of world leaders and visited six different continents.

"(In) One year -- six continents. I went to Africa, where I saw Israeli innovators increasing crop yields, turning air into water, fighting AIDS. I went to Asia, where we deepened our relations with China, and with Singapore, and expanded our cooperation with our Muslim friends in Azberbaijan and Kazakhstan," he said.

"I went to Europe, where in London and Paris, Saloniki  and Budapest, we enhanced our security and economic ties," he said.

The Israel Prime Minister also expressed his desire to visit Antarctica.

"Now, it's true. I haven't yet visited Antarctica, but one day I have to go there. I want to go there, too, because I've heard penguins are also enthusiastic supporters of Israel," he added. PTI