00:00And joining me now on this India Today special from Jerusalem, from the Kennesaw, is Sharon
00:07Haskell, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Benjamin Netanyahu government.
00:13Sharon Haskell, welcome.
00:16Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit is being described as a partnership of hope in Israel.
00:24There was standing ovation and chants of Modi Modi in the Kennesaw.
00:28You were there.
00:29Tell us more about the buzz around the Prime Minister's visit and key takeaways in your view.
00:38Oh, wow.
00:39First of all, we are extremely excited.
00:41This is a truly historic moment.
00:45And, you know, it's far beyond the people-to-people true friendship that we have.
00:51We talk about a strategic partnership together with India.
00:58I think the warm relationship between Prime Minister Modi and between Prime Minister Netanyahu are very close and warm.
01:06I know that there's a lot of subjects on the agenda for their meeting.
01:14And I look forward, you know, to continue and to strengthen the friendship and the relationship in so many different
01:21fields.
01:24So, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi first as my friend Narendra.
01:29And then he said, my brother, what's the message that Israel is sending out right now?
01:38Now, the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, they were both there at the Ben-Gurion International
01:44Airport to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
01:46They had their interaction at the airport, then the interaction at the Kennesaw and the meetings that are scheduled now.
01:53So, you know, you know, the nuts and bolts aspect of this visit.
01:57So, what's that big message that's being sent out?
02:02Well, that this visit is of great importance.
02:06The Prime Minister doesn't go and welcome every leader that arrives to Israel.
02:11But this friendship is extremely important.
02:15You know, there are many, many fields that we're trying to continue a collaboration.
02:22I think we've endured a very difficult couple of years.
02:26I think the Indian people, the Indian nation have endured very many difficulties during the last two years as well.
02:35India has stood in solidarity with Israel and Israel stood in solidarity with India.
02:40And those mutual challenges, particularly against, you know, radical Islamists all around the world, and we see the instability, we
02:52understand how important it is to strengthen countries who share the same values of freedom, of democracy, of stability and
03:01peace.
03:03Because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was very clear, Sharon Haskell, the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel by Hamas,
03:13the loss of lives in Israel, India stands with the people of Israel, like Israel did with India, post-26
03:20-11 Mumbai terror attacks where Israelis, where Jews lost their lives, other terror attacks in India.
03:26Now, you've referred to the special partnership between India and Israel.
03:31But from this point on, how is this relationship being taken forward?
03:36What are those key areas for Israel where they want to take this partnership forward, where you want to take
03:43this partnership forward?
03:46Well, there are so many fields that are going to be discussed, starting from cooperation on museums and culture to
03:56cyber and security and technology and workers agreement here, direct flights, you know, from Tel Aviv to Delhi and to
04:06other cities as well.
04:07All of that is strengthening so much cooperation in different fields, but most of all, it's strengthened the people to
04:18people relationship, you know, Indian and Israeli businessmen who work together, arts that are collaborating together, construction and workers and
04:29projects and cyber and technology.
04:32I mean, you know, I mean, you know, India is a powerhouse of technology and innovation.
04:38Israel's also think what only, you know, what we can do with these two major forces together in that industry.
04:46So it's remarkable.
04:47And there are so many things, the sky's the limit.
04:52So defense and security was described as one pillar of this partnership.
04:57And in recent days, there has been some conversation around Iron Dome and Iron Beam technology cooperation.
05:04Tell us more about the defense and security cooperation.
05:06How is that being taken to the next level, if at all?
05:13I'm absolutely sure that they will be.
05:16And I understand the threats, you know, in India.
05:20And we've seen the huge achievements of Israel during the last two years.
05:25I mean, think about it.
05:26We were fighting against six different armies, strong armies, advanced armies, and we were able to defeat many of them
05:36to reduce a lot of their power.
05:38And it is thanks to a lot of training, expertise, technology.
05:47And I think that the more, especially now that the, you know, the frontline have changed so much in the
05:56way we conduct military operations.
06:01You know, I'm absolutely certain that in that field, there's be a lot of benefits.
06:08So you spoke of innovation, you spoke of cybersecurity cooperation, quantum computing, high-tech cooperation between India and Israel.
06:16But are there specific areas that you'd like to talk about?
06:20Because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of cooperation, both people-to-people, startup-to-startup,
06:28industry-to-industry.
06:30Any specifics?
06:35So I won't, you know, blow any surprises.
06:40But there's going to be a joint statement by the Prime Ministers together after they signed quite a few agreements.
06:47So I'll let them, you know, announce them.
06:49These are very exciting times.
06:51And there are many, many things that we work on together.
06:56Okay.
06:57So conversations, when they started, Sharon Haskell, we were told that there are bilateral conversations, there are regional conversations that
07:05are happening.
07:05What can you tell us, in your appreciation, the latest developments on the Iran front?
07:11India Today has just spoken to Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi.
07:17They hope that Geneva will pave the way for dialogue, for peace.
07:23Are you hopeful that dialogue will pave the way for peace?
07:27Because Iran's made it very clear they're ready both for war and peace.
07:35Wow.
07:36So there's a lot of tension.
07:39And the Americans are conducting negotiations.
07:43But it seems, especially during the last few days, that it's sort of been stuck and that Iran has not
07:48changed its mind.
07:49And I think that the decision is going to come where the Iranian regime, the IRGC, will need to make
07:57a strong decision.
07:59I think that most of the people understand what a violent and what, you know, this is a terrorist entity.
08:07I mean, I'm not even talking about what they're spreading around the world and the armies and the terrorist attacks
08:13and everything.
08:14Look on internally on what they've done to their people.
08:16I mean, the IRGC have shot, from reports that were done, 40,000 people, a lot of children, teenagers, young
08:28people who just went to ask for freedom.
08:31And if they act like that, you know, dragging them out of hospitals when they were injured from the bullets
08:40of this regime, taking them into custody, abusing them and torturing them.
08:45If they're capable of doing that to their own people, then you understand what they can do to nations that
08:52they describe as enemies.
08:54Do you, if I may, do you think there'll be conflict in days to come or can diplomacy pave the
09:03way for more dialogue?
09:05Is there an opportunity post the Geneva talks or around the Geneva talks that more dialogue will bring peace to
09:12the region?
09:13What are your expectations from the next round of talks in Geneva?
09:20Look, first of all, we are giving diplomacy a chance.
09:23For years, we've been giving diplomacy a chance.
09:26But look how they've deceived.
09:27Iran signed a contract that forbids it from enriching Iranians, and they just lied to the entire world.
09:36I mean, this is a liar entity that you lie really on agreement, and there has to be supervision and
09:44oversight.
09:44They've lied to us before.
09:47It's more probably that they lie again.
09:49And if there's no enforcement, if there is no transparency, and really someone who actually follows up that on the
09:58ground, it's not going to mean anything.
10:00And I want to remind you also about their ballistic missile program, which already can reach Europe.
10:07This is a serious danger for humanity, for, you know, Western democracy or any nation that values freedom and cherish
10:15democracy.
10:16This is what we're facing.
10:18And so I think that, you know, at this point, we're really talking mainly about the nuclear program and the
10:25ballistic missile program.
10:27But beside those two, we have to put on the table the issue of their proxies as well, all around
10:32the world.
10:33They have militaries.
10:35Minister, if you permit, can I take your attention for a moment to the other front, to Hamas, to Gaza?
10:42What's your reading of President Trump's Board of Peace and the role of Pakistan, a state sponsor of radical Islamist
10:49terror, being on this Board of Peace?
10:52Would Israel be okay with Pakistani boots on ground in Gaza?
11:00Look, obviously, we have all of our concerns as well.
11:04You know, the Board of Peace is something that is outside of the box, that Trump has a veto in
11:12it as well.
11:13So we feel a little bit more comfortable with it.
11:15But it's important to understand there's quite a few states who are very hostile towards Israel.
11:21We have major concerns about them, also including Qatar and Turkey and other ones that we do not, you know,
11:32trust.
11:34And in these discussions, we need to find solutions and ideas that are outside of the box to try and
11:40create stability.
11:41And this is a very difficult mission.
11:45So, Sharon Haskell, when you talk of out-of-the-box solutions, tell us a little more about this diamond
11:52alliance or hexagon alliance that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been working at.
11:58And what are your expectations of India, for example, in this grouping?
12:05Because there's already I2U2 and there's already IMEK that both countries are very keen on.
12:12Yeah.
12:14Oh, India is a major player there.
12:17And I think that during these times where there's major tectonic changes in world order and world power,
12:25where what dictates it is the economy and the strength of your army and your capability.
12:30I mean, an alliance like that can really create deterrents which relieve the stability to peace, you know, to prosperity.
12:39And I think there's a major opportunity.
12:42I see India as a partner, a full partner to try and combat those radical forces.
12:51Sharon Haskell, Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, for joining me here on this India Today special broadcast from the Kereset
12:58in Jerusalem.
12:59Many thanks.
13:03Thank you very much.
13:04Thank you very much.
13:05Thank you very much.
13:06Thank you very much.
Comments