Netanyahu greets Indian president Pranab Mukherjee during a special session at the Knesset
Netanyahu greets Indian president Pranab Mukherjee during a special session at the KnessetYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday hailed the connections between Israel and India as he welcomed Indian President Pranab Mukherjee for the first ever visit by an Indian president to Israel.

Speaking at a special Knesset session in honor of Mukherjee, Netanyahu mentioned the cultural connection between Israel and India, and also noted the two countries’ commitment to democracy.

However, Netanyahu warned, “there is a price Israel and India pay for being two pluralistic democracies with proud pasts who openly embrace the future.”

“Our two countries are attacked by radical terrorists who think that our freedoms threaten them and their world views. The plague of terrorism is a challenge that your country and our country have been dealing with for many years. We face it alone and sadly together, like when the horrific terrorist attack took place in Mumbai seven years ago, and the Chabad House was one of its targets,” he added.

“Murderous terrorism, which targets innocents, has no moral justification. It should be fought with all our might, and that is what we are doing now at a time when Israel’s citizens are being attacked by incited rioters,” Netanyahu continued.

“While we strive for coexistence and peace, I would say that in order to achieve coexistence and peace, we must make it clear to our enemies that terrorism will not defeat us, it does not pay, not even suicide terrorism. Therefore, we decided at the Cabinet meeting yesterday that in addition to demolishing the homes of terrorists, we will not allow new houses to be built where houses were torn down. We will confiscate the property of terrorists who have carried out attacks. We will revoke permanent residency status from terrorists and we will use IDF soldiers to reinforce police forces in cities and along roads. This is our duty as a responsible leadership to stand strong when faced with terrorists who have no qualms about taking human life.”

Terrorists, Netanyahu said, “are trying to do all they can to thwart any effort to reach reconciliation and to restart the peace process. I am telling you: Israel wants peace. I want peace. I want renewed peace talks with our Palestinian neighbors immediately, with no preconditions. And it will be a difficult negotiation because in order for us to achieve peace, terrorism must stop and we must have real security arrangements on the ground.”

“Above all, in order for us to achieve peace, the Palestinians will finally have to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a nation state. They want us to recognize their nation state, they should be so kind as to recognize ours. The peace we wish for must be a real peace, a secure peace and an everlasting peace,” he added.