New Delhi, Nov 4 (NationPress) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar convened a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa'ar, in New Delhi on Tuesday. The discussion aimed at enhancing the Strategic Partnership across multiple sectors while addressing regional developments, including the Gaza Peace Plan.

In a post shared on X, EAM Jaishankar remarked, "Had an excellent meeting with FM Gideon Sa'ar of Israel today in New Delhi. Our discussions were productive, focused on reinforcing our Strategic Partnership across various domains. We reaffirmed our zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms. I appreciate FM Sa’ar for providing insights into regional developments, the Gaza Peace Plan, and the pursuit of a durable solution. We also exchanged views on our cooperation in multilateral forums and witnessed the signing of a MoU on Training between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sa'ar highlighted that he and EAM Jaishankar deliberated on bilateral ties and the shared threat of terror. He expressed gratitude to EAM Jaishankar for his warm hospitality in New Delhi.

"I thank my friend, External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar, for the wonderful hospitality in New Delhi. Our discussions on bilateral relations and the common threat of terror were fruitful. I emphasized that dismantling the Hamas terror state is pivotal to the Trump Plan, and we will not compromise on this," Gideon Sa'ar tweeted.

He added, "Israel is a regional powerhouse and a flourishing democracy, while India is a global superpower, the largest democracy, and the fastest-growing economy. Our aim is to forge a long-term strategic partnership between our nations, and we will achieve this!"

During the opening remarks, EAM Jaishankar emphasized that both nations confront a mutual challenge from terrorism and stressed the necessity for a global zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.

He stated, "India and Israel share a strategic partnership that holds genuine significance. We have stood united in challenging times, establishing a relationship grounded in trust and reliability. Our nations face specific threats from terrorism, and we must collaborate to uphold a global stance of zero tolerance against terrorism in all its forms."

In his opening remarks, Gideon Sa'ar noted the warm friendship between India and Israel, aiming for a long-term strategic partnership. He expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s solidarity after the Hamas attack on October 7, highlighting that Modi was the first world leader to reach out to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

He stated, "We value Prime Minister Modi's strong solidarity and remember that he was the first world leader to contact Prime Minister Netanyahu after the Hamas attack on October 7. We will not forget this. Minister, I believe India is the future. India is the world's largest democracy and the fastest-growing economy, while Israel is a regional powerhouse. Our nations already enjoy a warm friendship, and our goal is to develop a long-term strategic partnership between Israel and India."

He recognized radical terror as a mutual threat for both nations and condemned the terrorist act in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22.

"Radical terror poses a common threat to both Israel and India. We strongly denounce the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam. In the Middle East, Israel confronts a unique challenge, which I refer to as terror states. The radical terror factions of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Houthis in Yemen have entrenched themselves over decades. Uprooting these groups is crucial for our region's security and stability. The eradication of the Hamas terror state lies at the core of President Trump's plan. Disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza is non-negotiable," he concluded.