External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded the Knesset Medal, making him the first person to receive the honour.
Jaiswal said Prime Minister Modi dedicated the medal to the “unbreakable friendship and shared democratic traditions between the two countries”.
In a post on Twitter, Jaiswal wrote, “The partnership is growing even stronger! As a special honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the Knesset Medal by Speaker Amir Ohana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first person to receive this honour.”
The post read, “The Prime Minister has dedicated this medal to the unbreakable friendship and shared democratic traditions between the two countries.”
Prime Minister Modi is in Israel on a two-day official visit. Israel’s Parliament on Wednesday honored Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the “Knesset Speaker’s Medal”. This is Kennisset’s highest honor.
The buzz surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit has not only captivated the streets of Israel or the halls of the Knesset, where he delivered a historic speech on Wednesday, but has also dominated digital discussions across the country.
Discussions related to Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Middle Eastern country at the invitation of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu were trending prominently on social media platform X on Thursday, with topics related to his visit to Israel ranked second and third in the trending list.
The rise of PM Modi’s name in the trending list on the X app in Israel reflects the country’s widespread interest and affection towards the Indian leader.
The affection and respect in Israel for Prime Minister Modi was clearly visible during his visit. The cordial relations with Netanyahu, who himself welcomed the prime minister at the airport upon his arrival, underline the strong bond between the two leaders.
Following his address to the Israeli Parliament the Prime Minister was also awarded the “Speaker of the Knesset” medal, one of Israel’s highest parliamentary honours, making him the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Knesset.
Prime Minister Modi was awarded the “Knesset Speaker’s Medal” in recognition of his “extraordinary contributions through personal leadership” in strengthening strategic ties between India and Israel, making him the first foreign leader to receive the honour.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the deep historical relations between the two countries.
“Long before we established relations with each other as modern states, we were linked by ties going back more than two thousand years. India is referred to as Hodu in the book of Esther,” he said.
The Prime Minister said, “There is mention of trade with India in ancient times in the Talmud.”
He emphasized that the Jewish community has lived in India “without fear of persecution or discrimination”, preserving their religion and participating fully in Indian society, which he called an achievement of which he was proud.
After his speech, Members of Parliament also lined up near the Prime Minister, taking selfies and photographs with him, a gesture reflecting the warmth of the occasion and the growing cordiality between the two democracies.
Despite earlier threats of a boycott by opposition members of the Israeli Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) was well attended, and MPs from all parties welcomed him with sustained applause.
However, cordial relations continued after Netanyahu’s speech, as the two leaders rode in a car together while visiting an exhibition showcasing advances made in the world of technology.
Netanyahu also surprised Prime Minister Modi by wearing traditional Indian attire ahead of the joint dinner.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, the strong response to his visit, both inside Parliament and on social media platforms X, reflects the growing popularity of India-Israel relations among political leaders and the general public.
The stir in the digital world and the historic address given in the Parliament clearly indicate the growing strategic partnership and strengthening goodwill between the two democratic countries.
