By Ayushi Agarwal
New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Tuesday said India has been very strong against terrorism from the first moment. He said that Israel is appreciative of the Indian government’s support since Hamas launched the attack on October 7.
In an interview with ANI, Gilon said that Israel has received “incredible support” from Indian people amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Speaking about India’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, Gilon said, “India was very strong against terrorism from the first moment. Prime Minister Modi, on the afternoon of October 7, already came out with a very strong condemnation. We are much appreciative of the Indian government for its support from that time on.”
“And you heard the External Affairs Minister’s words, which are very, very clear. But this is not the only support we get from India. We get incredible support from the Indian people, wide support. We feel it all around, and it’s very important for us. As I said, we are going to win. But when you have support and friendship from countries and people, at least it makes you feel that there is still light at the end of the tunnel, there is still hope,” he added.
The war in Gaza continues after Israel launched a counter-offensive in response to the Hamas attack on October 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first global leaders to condemn the horrific terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7.
Naor Gilon called October 7 the “worst day” for Jews since the Holocaust and added that Israel is fighting an important war of survivability. He stated that more than 1,200 people were murdered, raped, mutilated, and over 200 were kidnapped in a few hours of invasion on October 7.
On the Israel-Hamas conflict, “October 7 was the worst day for Jews since the Holocaust. In a few hours of invasion into 30 communities, civilian communities, more than 1,200 people were murdered, raped, mutilated, terrible torture, terrible atrocities, and more than 200 were kidnapped. Now, we have still 136 abductees in inhumane conditions in Gaza. It’s a very, very sad situation. Israel was in parallel attack from all directions by proxies of Iran, by Hamas, of course, on October 7, Hamas, ISIS, but then also by Hezbollah from the north, by the Shiite militias from Syria and Iraq, by the Houthis in the Red Sea.”
“And even abroad, they tried to kill Israelis all around the world, Israelis and Jews. The attempt that we saw just over a month ago, a bomb that exploded in the back of the Israeli embassy here in Delhi, was also by the same evil people. So, we are fighting now a very important war of survivability. And we will win because we have no alternative. And you know, we are, we are true to the phrase that was done after the Holocaust and after the establishment of Israel of never again. Never again, meaning that the Holocaust will not return. And for that, you need a very strong Israel, and we’ll make sure that Israel becomes again a haven for Jews, especially when they feel very much unwanted today, less than eight years after the Holocaust, in Europe and the United States and other places,” he added.
On being asked about his personal story about the Holocaust, the Israeli envoy responded, “My personal story is the fact that I’m what we call a second generation to the Holocaust. My father was born in Germany in 1935, and he passed most of the Holocaust in Hungary, in Budapest, partly in the Ghetto.”
“He, of course, obviously survived, but unfortunately most of his family didn’t survive. His father was taken on the train to Auschwitz, but the rail was bombarded already that stage. So he, around Austria, was marched in the death march, what we called, and he did not survive that. So this is more or less the story of my family,” he added.
Calling India an example of tolerance, he said India is very unique as antisemitism was never a phenomenon in the country. He said that India is one of the places where Jews can feel unthreatened.
On Jews living in India, he said, “India is very unique because antisemitism was never a phenomenon. You don’t have a word in India for antisemitism. I think Jews, and it was also mentioned by the honorable minister who was here, Jews lived here equally, contributed. He spoke about the contribution of Jews to all segments of life in India. And I think that India was and is an example of tolerance in a place where in these days, where very few places in the world Jews can feel unthreatened, because of anti-Semitism, India is one of these places.”
Every year on January 27, UNESCO pays tribute to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to counter antisemitism, racism, and other forms of intolerance that may lead to group-targeted violence, according to the UNESCO website.
It marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops on 27 January 1945. In November 2005, it was declared as International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust by the United Nations General Assembly. (ANI)
