Bengaluru: Consul General of Israel to South India, Tammy Ben-Haim, said on Monday that the "fight wouldn’t stop till Israel hostages are returned safely”.
She got emotional while talking about the current situation during the celebrations of the 76th Independence Day of Israel in the city.
Prominent citizens who joined Tammy for the occasion were Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka and Biocon Limited founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, besides leaders in entrepreneurship and business, including consuls general of other countries.
Wearing a yellow ribbon lapel pin that is a symbol of bringing hostages home, she lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government and global businesses for their support of the Israeli cause.
"The war has been so painful for us, but we will not stop our fight against the terrorists. Let us all pray together for an end to the war and an end to the suffering,” she said.
Heaping praise on Israel, Murthy said there was a lot to be learnt from the India-Israel friendship and exchange of knowledge on agriculture, water, food production and energy. “Israel is number two in the world in innovation, in entrepreneurship and in using the power of the mind to create a better future,” he said.
He said he regretted not being able to visit Israel in 2023, but hoped to visit soon. "Israel has a great future. It will overcome its difficulties. I wish Israel and the entire region peace, joy, progress and prosperity."
Ashoka addressed the multicultural crowd in Kannada and English, praising Modi’s support for Israel, lauding Israel’s contributions to science, research, defence and innovation, and wishing for a long and prosperous relationship between the two countries.
Published 13 May 2024, 22:36 IST