The visit of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett scheduled for early next week has been postponed after he tested positive for COVID–19, the Israel Embassy announced on Tuesday. In a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Gantz, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wished for the speedy recovery of Mr. Bennett.
“The visit has been postponed and will be rescheduled. We are working with our Indian partners on another date for the visit as part of the celebrations of 30 years of diplomatic relations between the countries as well as 75 years of India’s Independence. Israel will continue to strengthen its robust friendship and growing partnership with the people of India,” Naor Gilon, Israeli Ambassador to India, said in a statement.
In the midst of a flurry of visits from the West to New Delhi in the backdrop of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, Mr. Bennett was scheduled to arrive on a three–day visit from April 3. Earlier this month on March 5, he made a surprise visit to Moscow and discussed the war on Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin and later spoke to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky over the telephone.
