Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has decided to cut short his India visit due to a security update amid action by the Israel Army against members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement. Cohen, who arrived in India on Tuesday on a three-day official visit, will now return to Israel after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I landed a short time ago in New Delhi, the capital of India, and immediately upon landing I received a security update. In light of the events in Israel, I decided to cut short the diplomatic visit to India and return to Israel after my meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that will take place today,” the Israeli Foreign Minister said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Three senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement were killed by the Israeli army in an early Tuesday morning bombing in which explosions ripped through Gaza under ‘Operation Shield and Arrow’, The Times of Israel reported.
Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to arrive in India
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen will arrive in India today for a three-day visit. He will hold a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Eli Cohen will also attend the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) India-Israel Business Forum.
The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute is organizing a special interaction with Eli Cohen scheduled to be held on May 9 in New Delhi, CII said in a statement. After his meeting with Jaishankar and attending the CII India-Israel Business Forum, Cohen will depart for Agra in the evening to attend a programme scheduled to be held on 10 May, according to a media advisory released by the Ministry of External Affairs.
After his engagements in Agra, he will return to Delhi on May 10. He will travel to Mumbai on May 11 to attend a programme. He will return to Israel on May 11, according to a media advisory.
His visit comes after Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat travelled to India this year in April with a large business delegation on a four-day official visit to strengthen bilateral ties in common areas of interest, automotive technologies, and fintech. In late March, Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and the parliamentary delegation too paid an official visit to India.