Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel’s Knesset parliament on Wednesday as he reflected on the heartfelt embrace the two leaders shared earlier in the day. He described it as a “Modi hug”.
“Today, my wife Sara and I greeted you at the airport. And just as you came down the stairs, we hugged. A personal hug from Prime Minister Modi is something special. It’s called the Modi hug. It’s well known all over the world. And when you hug someone, up close, really, you know it’s not an act. It’s a real thing. It’s a real thing, while Netanyhug,” with a speech in the Knesset.
Emphasizing that this gesture has a deep symbolic weight for the bilateral bond, he added: “So I want to return the hug to each of the members of the Knesset, and it is not just a sign of personal relations, personal friendship between us, but it truly reflects the warmth of the bond between our two peoples.”
Netanyahu also expressed deep gratitude for the Indian government’s steadfast support following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in southern Israel that killed over 1,000 Israelis.
“He stood by Israel…”
Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Netanyahu said: “You stood next to Israel, you stood with Israel, you stood behind Israel, you stood for the truth. Thank you, my friend.”
Netanyahu, who described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “more than a friend, a brother”, went on to note that the two nations share “common interests” and have seen significant growth in trade and cooperation in recent years.
Welcoming his “dear friend” to Parliament, he admitted he had “never been more moved” by a visit from his Indian counterpart.
Prime Minister Modi presented the medal to the Knesset
Following his speech, Prime Minister Modi was awarded the “Knesset Speaker’s Medal” in recognition of his outstanding contribution to strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana presented the award to the Prime Minister.
The Indian Prime Minister is the first leader to receive this medal, the highest honor of the Israeli parliament.
PM Modi is a world leader who has received the highest honors from both Israel and Palestine. In 2018, Prime Minister Modi was awarded the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian honor for a foreign leader.
(with input from agencies)
