All the details: Historic first Israel visit by Indian prime minister
Tune into Jpost.com for live coverage of the visit starting with Narendra Modi's arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport at 4 p.m.
By HERB KEINONUpdated: JULY 4, 2017 15:18PM Netanyahu and India's Modi(photo credit: PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE)
Israel has waited 69 years for a visit by an Indian prime minister, and will – as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday – greet Narendra Modi as befits the leaders of the world's largest democracy when he arrives at Ben-Gurion Airport at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.Israel"s Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon speaks about Modi"s visit (credit: HERB KEINON)Netanyahu will personally greet Modi at the airport, along with the top tier of Israel's leadership – known as segel aleph – an honor afforded to only a few select leaders, such as US presidents and popes.The two men are to deliver brief remarks at the airport, with Modi expected to speak in Hindi.From the airport, the two men will drive to Mosha Mishmar Hashiva, near Beit Dagan, and visit the Danziger “Dan” flower farm, one of Israel’s leading floriculture companies, with approximately 80,000 square meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specializing in reproduction of plants.That this will be Modi's first stop on his visit highlights that one of Israel's key interests in closer cooperation with India is its expertise in agricultural technology. They will be joined there by Israel's Agriculture Minister, Uri Ariel.Modi will then travel to Jerusalem's King David Hotel, where he will be staying, and then make his way to Yad Vashem. He is slated to visit the Hall of Names, lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance, tour the Children's Memorial, and sign the guest book.In an email on Tuesday sent to Israelis subscribed to his newsletter, Modi wrote that he will visit the memorial “as a remembrance to those brave women and men who sacrificed their lives for values of peace and humanity.”He will then proceed to the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem for dinner with Netanyahu.Tune into Jpost.com for live coverage of the visit.
