Eager to work with India, says Naftali Bennett

Jerusalem, June 14

Israel’s newly elected Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that he was looking forward to working with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to further develop the “unique and warm relations” between the two democracies.

Bennett, the 49-year-old leader of the right-wing Yamina party who on Sunday became the new premier ending Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year hold on power, said this while responding to Prime Minister Modi’s congratulatory tweet.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier congratulated Bennett on being sworn in as Israel’s new Prime Minister, and said he looked forward to meeting him and deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries as they celebrate 30 years of the upgrade of diplomatic ties next year.

“Thank you Mr Prime Minister @narendramodi, I look forward to working with you to further develop the unique and warm relations between our two democracies,” Bennett tweeted from his official handle.

Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid also said Israel’s new government would work to “advance strategic relations” with India. “I look forward to working together to advance the strategic relations between our countries,” he tweeted. — PTI

Modi congratulates new Israel Premier

New Delhi: Indian PM Narendra Modi has congratulated new Israeli PM Naftali Bennett as well as the previous incumbent, Benjamin Netanyahu, who lost his chair by a solitary vote. “As you complete your successful tenure as the Prime Minister of Israel, I convey my profound gratitude for your leadership and personal attention to the India-Israel strategic partnership,” Modi tweeted while tagging Netanyahu. tns