We were very concerned when Zaki Ur Rahman Lakhvi was released on bail, as we followed the Mumbai attacks closely. We are a concerned party, and a victim of terrorism, including our diplomats who were attacked here in Delhi. So what we need is more cooperation

Israeli ambassador interviewed on Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel

“Hot pursuit”, or the need to cross over boundaries in pursuit of terror groups, is “one of the ingredients in a new kind of battleground”, says Israel’s Ambassador Daniel Carmon, supporting the Indian Army’s operations in which forces were said to have crossed into Myanmar territory to raid Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) camps.
“The international community shouldn’t be cut and dry about what is right as defined only by the [UN] Human Rights Council. They should respect the right of countries to protect their boundaries, their values … because that is the first and foremost responsibility of any government,” Mr. Carmon told The Hindu in an interview, after concerns were raised by Pakistan and Myanmar over the statements.
While no dates have been set for Mr. Modi’s visit that will make him the first Indian Prime Minister to do so, the Ambassador said secretary-level meetings in Jerusalem, between Indian and Israeli officials, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who will visit Israel later this year, will make preparations for it.

Transcripts of the interview:

The External Affairs Minister has said Prime Minister Modi will visit Israel... What should we expect from the visit, which is a first?
First of all, we don’t have dates at this stage.
This visit will encompass all aspects of our very intense and rich cooperation. We tend to fix the issue of defence most to the relations. Much as defence is important, it is only one part of relations. This is an emotional one, old traditions and old religions with a big influence over the world. If you look at interests, we also enjoy and share values and challenges, and we compliment each other. But that is not enough. We still primarily only work with the west. When an Israeli entrepreneur or high tech innovator thinks about expanding it is to US Canada Australia, but doesn’t think about India. That should change. Mr. Modi’s visit, with the agreements that will be signed, with the different areas he will visit, high technology plants, and universities, all of it will be a signal to the bureaucracies and the people of both countries that ties will change. All those in India and Israel who doubt whether we should work together will see the political will from the two leaders.
Is it also a signal to other countries in Israel’s neighbourhood, especially Palestine?
I think it is a signal, and the signal has been given by the Foreign minister Ms. Swaraj when she said in Parliament last July. She said India is committed to the Palestinian cause, and we will maintain good relations with Israel. It is not a zero sum game. It is okay to have good relations with one side without touching the other. It is a positive statement that sends a signal to anyone who thinks in traditional and obsolete way that you cannot have good relations with Israel without hurting ties with its Arab neighbours.
Yet when it came to UN votes twice in the last year, including at the UNHRC, India voted against Israel.
We always want our friends to vote with Israel, we want them to understand our position. The UN doesn’t always represent the situation on the ground. So we would like India to vote with us, but I wouldn’t count every vote where it doesn’t as the end of the world.
Has the NDA government indicated a change from the past on Indian policy towards Israel? We saw PM Modi meeting PM Netanyahu in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA, and that hasn’t happened before?
Changes shouldn’t be measured by a UN vote. Look at the other changes, the number of dialogues on different issues, the number of visits being planned, the number of diplomatic meetings, and agreements signed. In the last few years we have signed a major agreement on Homeland security, anti-terrorism cooperation, agricultural relations. There are 28 centres of excellence where Israel helps with agricultural productivity, and Indian farmers benefit from our expertise. On water, the Ganga rejuvenation, we do projects with many states. This is the change in relations and not only what diplomats do at the UN. Don’t just count votes.
You spoke about anti-terror cooperation. Do you support the government’s idea that in a world where terrorists know no boundaries, it is necessary to cross boundaries to protect national security? The idea of “hot pursuit” discussed after the Myanmar operation?
First of all I would like to convey our condolences to the Army and the families of the soldiers killed in the act of terrorism in Manipur. We are two countries, one of a few that face the same threat: that our soldiers who are assigned to safeguard our national borders are attacked by such terrorism. This must be fought and condemned. This is a joint challenge for us. The international community shouldn’t be cut and dry about what is right as defined only by the (UN) Human rights council. They should respect the right of countries to protect their boundaries, their values and I would say India knows a thing or two about values and democracy, and knows how to define its security, because that is the first and foremost responsibility of any government.
Are you suggesting, as some in government already have, that a similar kind of response could be used to India’s western borders, for example after the Mumbai attacks when Israeli citizens were amongst those executed by terrorists who came from Pakistan?
At the risk of being called diplomatic, I think there is a change in the field of terrorism, and countries are cooperating more on sharing information and investigations. We were very concerned when Zaki Ur Rahman Lakhvi was released on bail, as we follow the Mumbai attacks closely. We are a concerned party, and a victim of terrorism, including our diplomats who were attacked here in Delhi. So what we need is more cooperation.
You are speaking of an attack that you blame on Iran. Israel-Iran ties are problematic, yet India’s ties with Iran are very close. Ms. Swaraj is visiting Iran this month and India supports the nuclear talks (P5+1) with Iran that Israel has criticised. How do you see this?
Israel reacts, not to India’s ties with Iran, but to what Iran is doing in terms of developing nuclear weapons. It is not just Israel but Arab countries including moderate countries, and there is a paradigm shift in their thinking, because Iran is destabilising our region. Iran has proxies at our borders, and if you look at India’s communal violence laws, then what Iran does in Libya, Syria or Iraq, is fuelling communal violence. To give them military nuclear capability as this deal proposed in Switzerland is unexplainable. We hope the world powers will negotiate a better deal with Iran. India has been abiding by
the sanctions set by the international community, and we appreciate that,
but on a larger scale, we should look at the long-term dangers of what Iran is doing, not just tied to these talks.
To come back to India-Israel ties, what are the big agreements likely to be prominent when PM Modi visits Israel?
I don’t want to say only defence, but defence cooperation will be a big part of any visit. Also on high technology transfers, and joint R&D, not just on defence but agriculture, water and education as well. Water is going to be the next big thing in India-Israel ties, as Israeli expertise on harnessing water is renowned, and we can do much more in India: in drip irrigation, desalinization, recycled water for irrigation. For example Chennai city now drinks desalinated water brought with Israeli help.  Despite being an arid land, parched for rain, Israelis don’t have water shortages. I also hope we see more business ties being built during the visit, and renewable energy projects to be set up. Unlike other countries, Israel doesn’t bring large amounts of investment, but we can bring the important micronutrient of expertise. India and Israel are lacking in connectivity, and I do hope the PM’s visit will see more direct flights from Indian cities to the Holy Land, as many Israelis also want to visit the Holy sites in India.
    IPCS

We were very concerned when Zaki Ur Rahman Lakhvi was released on bail, as we followed the Mumbai attacks closely. We are a concerned party, and a victim of terrorism, including our diplomats who were attacked here in Delhi. So what we need is more cooperation

Israeli ambassador interviewed on Prime Minister Modis visit to Israel

Hot pursuit, or the need to cross over boundaries in pursuit of terror groups, is one of the ingredients in a new kind of battleground, says Israels Ambassador Daniel Carmon, supporting the Indian Armys operations in which forces were said to have crossed into Myanmar territory to raid Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) camps. The international community shouldnt be cut and dry about what is right as defined only by the [UN] Human Rights Council. They should respect the right of countries to protect their boundaries, their values because that is the first and foremost responsibility of any government, Mr. Carmon told The Hindu in an interview, after concerns were raised by Pakistan and Myanmar over the statements. While no dates have been set for Mr. Modis visit that will make him the first Indian Prime Minister to do so, the Ambassador said secretary-level meetings in Jerusalem, between Indian and Israeli officials, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who will visit Israel later this year, will make preparations for it. Transcripts of the interview: The External Affairs Minister has said Prime Minister Modi will visit Israel... What should we expect from the visit, which is a first? First of all, we dont have dates at this stage. This visit will encompass all aspects of our very intense and rich cooperation. We tend to fix the issue of defence most to the relations. Much as defence is important, it is only one part of relations. This is an emotional one, old traditions and old religions with a big influence over the world. If you look at interests, we also enjoy and share values and challenges, and we compliment each other. But that is not enough. We still primarily only work with the west. When an Israeli entrepreneur or high tech innovator thinks about expanding it is to US Canada Australia, but doesnt think about India. That should change. Mr. Modis visit, with the agreements that will be signed, with the different areas he will visit, high technology plants, and universities, all of it will be a signal to the bureaucracies and the people of both countries that ties will change. All those in India and Israel who doubt whether we should work together will see the political will from the two leaders. Is it also a signal to other countries in Israels neighbourhood, especially Palestine? I think it is a signal, and the signal has been given by the Foreign minister Ms. Swaraj when she said in Parliament last July. She said India is committed to the Palestinian cause, and we will maintain good relations with Israel. It is not a zero sum game. It is okay to have good relations with one side without touching the other. It is a positive statement that sends a signal to anyone who thinks in traditional and obsolete way that you cannot have good relations with Israel without hurting ties with its Arab neighbours. Yet when it came to UN votes twice in the last year, including at the UNHRC, India voted against Israel. We always want our friends to vote with Israel, we want them to understand our position. The UN doesnt always represent the situation on the ground. So we would like India to vote with us, but I wouldnt count every vote where it doesnt as the end of the world. Has the NDA government indicated a change from the past on Indian policy towards Israel? We saw PM Modi meeting PM Netanyahu in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA, and that hasnt happened before? Changes shouldnt be measured by a UN vote. Look at the other changes, the number of dialogues on different issues, the number of visits being planned, the number of diplomatic meetings, and agreements signed. In the last few years we have signed a major agreement on Homeland security, anti-terrorism cooperation, agricultural relations. There are 28 centres of excellence where Israel helps with agricultural productivity, and Indian farmers benefit from our expertise. On water, the Ganga rejuvenation, we do projects with many states. This is the change in relations and not only what diplomats do at the UN. Dont just count votes. You spoke about anti-terror cooperation. Do you support the governments idea that in a world where terrorists know no boundaries, it is necessary to cross boundaries to protect national security? The idea of hot pursuit discussed after the Myanmar operation? First of all I would like to convey our condolences to the Army and the families of the soldiers killed in the act of terrorism in Manipur. We are two countries, one of a few that face the same threat: that our soldiers who are assigned to safeguard our national borders are attacked by such terrorism. This must be fought and condemned. This is a joint challenge for us. The international community shouldnt be cut and dry about what is right as defined only by the (UN) Human rights council. They should respect the right of countries to protect their boundaries, their values and I would say India knows a thing or two about values and democracy, and knows how to define its security, because that is the first and foremost responsibility of any government. Are you suggesting, as some in government already have, that a similar kind of response could be used to Indias western borders, for example after the Mumbai attacks when Israeli citizens were amongst those executed by terrorists who came from Pakistan? At the risk of being called diplomatic, I think there is a change in the field of terrorism, and countries are cooperating more on sharing information and investigations. We were very concerned when Zaki Ur Rahman Lakhvi was released on bail, as we follow the Mumbai attacks closely. We are a concerned party, and a victim of terrorism, including our diplomats who were attacked here in Delhi. So what we need is more cooperation. You are speaking of an attack that you blame on Iran. Israel-Iran ties are problematic, yet Indias ties with Iran are very close. Ms. Swaraj is visiting Iran this month and India supports the nuclear talks (P5+1) with Iran that Israel has criticised. How do you see this? Israel reacts, not to Indias ties with Iran, but to what Iran is doing in terms of developing nuclear weapons. It is not just Israel but Arab countries including moderate countries, and there is a paradigm shift in their thinking, because Iran is destabilising our region. Iran has proxies at our borders, and if you look at Indias communal violence laws, then what Iran does in Libya, Syria or Iraq, is fuelling communal violence. To give them military nuclear capability as this deal proposed in Switzerland is unexplainable. We hope the world powers will negotiate a better deal with Iran. India has been abiding by the sanctions set by the international community, and we appreciate that, but on a larger scale, we should look at the long-term dangers of what Iran is doing, not just tied to these talks. To come back to India-Israel ties, what are the big agreements likely to be prominent when PM Modi visits Israel? I dont want to say only defence, but defence cooperation will be a big part of any visit. Also on high technology transfers, and joint RD, not just on defence but agriculture, water and education as well. Water is going to be the next big thing in India-Israel ties, as Israeli expertise on harnessing water is renowned, and we can do much more in India: in drip irrigation, desalinization, recycled water for irrigation. For example Chennai city now drinks desalinated water brought with Israeli help. Despite being an arid land, parched for rain, Israelis dont have water shortages. I also hope we see more business ties being built during the visit, and renewable energy projects to be set up. Unlike other countries, Israel doesnt bring large amounts of investment, but we can bring the important micronutrient of expertise. India and Israel are lacking in connectivity, and I do hope the PMs visit will see more direct flights from Indian cities to the Holy Land, as many Israelis also want to visit the Holy sites in India. IPCS