Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has postponed a planned official visit to India, his office announced on Monday. The reason cited was the recent killing of two Israeli Border Police officers in the Naqab.
However, Israeli media attributed the postponement of Gant’s visit to New Delhi to disputes with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Gantz postpones visit to India following terror attacks pic.twitter.com/s6OtUuRY1N
— Jewish Websight (@jewishwebsight) March 28, 2022
The visit should have started on Tuesday and was intended to mark 30 years of Israel-India defense relations. It would have included discussions between Gantz and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.
According to the Jewish News Syndicate, the discussions would have concentrated on “expanding and deepening cooperation” between the Israeli and Indian defense establishments.
Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister have clashed over India's visit. Prime Minister #naftalibennett is scheduled to visit India next month, but before that Defense Minister Benny Gantz has also announced his visit to New Delhi.
#isreal #India pic.twitter.com/tVIEgssJG4
— Rajan Kumar Jha (@RealRajanjha) March 27, 2022
Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post said that Gantz’s visit to India would have pre-empted Bennett’s own trip. This was interpreted widely as part of ongoing disagreements between them.
Bennett, it added, had already blocked Gantz from taking part in a summit with Jordan’s King Abdullah and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
