Specifically, the soldiers of the two divisions of the WWI British Indian Army who served and died in Palestine. These divisions included both Hindus and Muslims from areas that later became parts of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Ironically, the pictured memorial is in Haifa's Christian Cemetery.
Story:
Visiting Indian PM honors fallen Indian soldiers at Haifa cemetery
"We are making history together," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says of Indian prime minister's visit, lauds "marriage ... made in heaven" between Israel and India • Israel is "a country of heroism," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says.
Shlomo Cesana, Yori Yalon, Danielle Roth-Avneri and News Agencies
Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu on a Haifa beach, Thursday
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Photo credit: GPO
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Christian Cemetery in Haifa Thursday morning, laying a wreath in honor of the Indian soldiers who died fighting the 1918 battle to liberate Haifa from the Ottoman Empire in World War I.
Thursday concludes the Indian prime minister's highly successful visit to Israel, which was jam-packed with treaties, ceremonies and official meetings.
Of note, Modi and Netanyahu on Wednesday signed technology and agriculture cooperation agreements, three of which dealt with space and others with the water infrastructure in India.
"What a great day," Netanyahu said in a joint press conference Wednesday with Modi. "We are making history together. ... I have a feeling that today, India and Israel are changing our world. ... Because this is a cooperation, it's a marriage really made in heaven but we're implementing it here on earth."
Netanyahu added that the collaboration between Israeli technologies and the Indian market will not only break new ground in India but also promote India-Israel collaboration in Africa.
"India is present there," he said, "Israel is present and coming in to Africa and we think that by joining forces ... we can help the people of Africa as well." he said.
"Our partnership is real," Modi said. "India has suffered violence and threats of terrorism, like Israel. We have agreed to work together to fight terrorism and to further our strategic interests in order to combat the intensifying radicalization."
On Wednesday evening, Modi visited the Israel Museum, where a ceremony, held in his honor, celebrated the daily life of Jewish communities in India. Modi and his host Netanyahu then attended an event at the Tel Aviv Convention Center honoring the Indian-Jewish community. Thousands of Jews of Indian descent were present.
Due to organization failures and the sheer amount of people trying to enter the convention center to see Modi, several people fainted at the gate and security checks were not performed, as is customary at such events.
After a two-hour artistic program, the prime ministers arrived, went on stage and waved to the crowd.
"Namaste!" Netanyahu said. "The prime minister of India and I decided to bring the relationship between the countries to new heights," Netanyahu continued, "but there is a bridge that connects us and it is a human bridge, and so we honor you."
Modi told the crowd, "Shalom aleichem" (Peace be upon you), and continued in Hindi: "Netanyahu gave me great honor during the visit, and therefore honored millions of Indians. He gave me love of the sort no one can ever forget.
"Israel sacrificed many of its people to arrive at the place where it is, and it is a country of heroism," Modi said. "This proves that it doesn't matter the size of the country, but rather the power it has. In the field of innovation, Israel deserves a Nobel Prize. This is a country that lights up the world with its accomplishments."
The two prime ministers also found time on Wednesday to visit Moshe Holtzberg, today 11 years old, whose parents Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg were murdered in a 2008 terrorist attack at the Chabad House in Mumbai.
"Welcome to our country, prime minister of India," Moshe told Modi in Hindi, earning him a warm hug.
Continuing in English, Moshe said, "Welcome to Israel, our holy land [and] the holy city Jerusalem. My name is Moshe Holtzberg, the son of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg. ... I [am] 11 years old, I was saved by my very special nanny Sandra [Samuel]," he said, referring to the 2008 Mumbai attack.
"I love you Modi and your people in India," Moshe said, revealing that he intends to return to Mumbai and run its Chabad center when he is older.
Netanyahu told Moshe that "Prime Minister Modi invited me to come to India. You will come with me to Mumbai."
"You are most welcome," Modi said to the boy, offering him and his family extended visas.
Moshe met the two prime ministers with his nanny, Samuel, who now lives in Israel and visits Moshe every weekend, as well as his grandparents Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg and his wife Gila, with whom he has lived since the attack. Rosenberg said that he very much appreciates the time Modi set aside for the meeting, and that "it touches us that he, as prime minister of a billion and a half people, saw fit to meet with [Moshe]."
Modi also met Wednesday with President Reuven Rivlin. This is the third meeting between the two since Rivlin began his term in office.
