​Ladies and Gentlemen,

As always, I am proud to stand here, in Teen Murti Haifa Chowk with our Indian friends as we commemorate the bravery of the Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the battle to liberate Haifa in 1918, almost 100 years ago.

Merely a month ago, Israel’s Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu together with his host PM Modi, visited this very Chowk and paid his respects to the valiant soldiers remembered here. The occasion was marked even more memorable, as India decided to rename the Chowk from Teen Murti to Teen Murti Haifa. This grand gesture was highly appreciated not only by our Prime Minister, but also by the people of Israel. I cannot describe the feelings and emotions we all feel every time we pass by this significant landmark.

The story of the soldiers commemorated by these Teen Murti – Three Statues – are also remembered in Israel. Last summer, Prime Minister Modi was the first ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. In addition to the official meetings in the capital, Jerusalem, and meeting the Indian community and business community in Tel Aviv, PM Modi visited Haifa together with his host PM Netanyahu explicitly to pay respects at the burial site of the very same soldiers we honor here today. This was one of the highlights of the visit, signifying the deep bond and the shared history between our people, as well as the strong link between Delhi and Haifa.

Not only symbolic, the story of the three regiment’s bravery is a part of every school curriculum in Haifa, not only part of our history but also as part of our heritage. The events, which took place 100 years ago, are among the first modern bonds created between what are today modern, independent India and Israel. Thanks to the valiant actions of the Indian soldiers from Jodhpur, Hyderabad and Mysore, cities like Haifa were liberated from the Ottoman Empire. This paved the way for the later establishment of the Israel we know today.

Haifa is a shining example of Israel’s diversity and ability to coexist. Its inhabitants are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze and it is home to the Bahai World Center, Temple and Gardens. It is an ancient port city with a thriving tech industry and among the best universities in the region. These traits, manifesting in Haifa so clearly and yet representative of Israel at large, are not unfamiliar to India.

India, like Israel, is a country of ancient civilization with a drive for modernity. Living side by side are people of all faiths, who believe in freedom and democracy. While proud of our heritage and culture, both our countries are eager not just to meet, but to shape the future.
I believe that these common traits and values would make the soldiers we honor today proud. There is a saying in Hebrew that “in their death, they command us to life”. 100 years later, let us not only remember their sacrifice, but also celebrate the bond they have created between us and strive to create a world worthy of them together.

Thank you.