Latest news with #ReuvenAzar
NDTV
4 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Indian Workers In Israel Being Forced To Return? What Government Said
New Delhi: The government, putting an end to rumours, said that no Indian workers in Israel would be forced to return to their home country. "A message circulating on social media claiming Indian workers in Israel would be forced to return to India or face jail/fine if they register with the Embassy of India is fake," the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv said today. It asked citizens not to "believe or forward such misinformation". "Always rely on official updates from @Indemtel (Embassy of India, Tel Aviv) for accurate info," a post on X said. The embassy said that the "registration of Indian nationals in Israel is to enable the Embassy to reach out to them not only in times of crisis but also to help them avail of the various facilities and welfare schemes of the Government of India". This comes amid a heightened tension between Israel and Iran, who have been launching fresh attacks on each other, killing scores of people on both sides. The latest crisis between the longtime foes started more than a week ago when Israel, under its 'Operation Rising Lion', conducted multiple strikes on the territory of Iran, with Tehran also returning fire after warning Israel. Last week, the embassy asked all Indians in Israel to stay vigilant and avoid any unnecessary movement while adhering to the safety protocols issued by the Israeli authorities. Indians have been employed in Israel for decades, thousands as caregivers looking after elderly Israelis, while others work as diamond traders and IT professionals. But since the war in Gaza escalated in 2023, recruiters have launched a drive to bring Indians in for Israel's construction sector also. The drive was a part of the Israeli government's effort to fill a void left by tens of thousands of Palestinian construction workers barred from entering Israel since Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has said that his country is in "constant contact" with the Ministry of External Affairs on the subject of the evacuation of Indian nationals from there amid the escalation of conflict with Iran. On Wednesday, India announced the launch of 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from Iran.
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Business Standard
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Israel in constant contact with MEA: Amb. Azar on evacuation of Indians
The Indian Embassy in Israel has been issuing advisories since the start of the conflict, urging Indian nationals there to take adequate precautions Press Trust of India New Delhi Amid the escalation of military confrontation between Israel and Iran, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has said that his country is in "constant contact" with the Ministry of External Affairs on the subject of evacuation of Indian nationals from there. In an interview with PTI Videos at the agency's headquarters here on Friday, Azar also said that "whatever message we get from the Indian government, we take it very seriously" in order to make sure that all Indian citizens are safe. His remarks came in response to a query on the evacuation of Indians residing in Israel amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. "We are in constant contact with the MEA, on all subjects that have to do with evacuation of civilians. We've been cooperating since the beginning of the war, and this cooperation continues. We have open channels, and whatever message we get from the Indian government, we take it very seriously in order to make sure that all Indian citizens are safe," Azar said. The Indian Embassy in Israel has been issuing advisories since the start of the conflict, urging Indian nationals there to take adequate precautions. As the military confrontation intensified, India decided to evacuate its nationals from Israel who wish to leave in view of the unfolding security situation in that country. New Delhi's decision on Thursday to evacuate its citizens came hours after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in the Beersheba area of Israel. "In view of the recent developments between Israel and Iran, the government of India has decided to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. "Their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India," it said. India on Wednesday announced the launch of 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from Iran after the Persian Gulf nation's conflict with Israel showed no sign of letting up. On June 17, Azar told reporters that his country will continue to do what is within its capabilities to "degrade" Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. At the briefing held here, he also said that it would be better if a diplomatic solution could be reached to halt the hostilities. Starting a week ago, Israel under its 'Operation Rising Lion' conducted multiple strikes on the territory of Iran, with Tehran also returning fire after warning Israel. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Middle East tensions: Israel in ‘constant contact' with India; says Israeli envoy on civilian evacuation
NEW DELHI: As tensions continue to rise between Israel and Iran, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar has said that his country remains in 'constant contact' with ministry of external affairs (MEA) regarding the safety and evacuation of Indian nationals from Israel. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In an interview with PTI Videos on Friday, Ambassador Azar said, 'We are in constant contact with the MEA on all subjects that have to do with the evacuation of civilians. We've been cooperating since the beginning of the war, and this cooperation continues.' He added, 'Whatever message we get from the Indian government, we take it very seriously in order to make sure that all Indian citizens are safe.' The comments follow India's decision to evacuate its citizens from Israel on Thursday after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in the Beersheba region. The MEA issued a statement saying that Indian nationals wishing to leave would be assisted through land routes and then flown back to India. The Indian Embassy in Israel has been issuing regular advisories urging nationals to take precautions. On Wednesday, India launched 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its citizens from Iran amid the worsening security situation in the region. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on Saturday that a total of 517 Indian nationals had been brought back from Iran under Operation Sindhu so far. A special flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, landed in New Delhi early on June 21 carrying evacuees. The conflict, now in its ninth day, began on June 13 with Israel's 'Operation Rising Lion,' a large-scale offensive targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure. Iran responded with 'Operation True Promise 3,' striking Israeli energy sites. Ambassador Azar had earlier told reporters that Israel would continue to act to 'degrade' Iran's missile and nuclear capabilities, though he hoped for a diplomatic resolution. With the situation remaining volatile, India's evacuation efforts from both Israel and Iran are expected to continue in coordination with authorities in both countries.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Israel in constant contact with MEA: Ambassador Azar on evacuation of Indian nationals
New Delhi, Amid the escalation of military confrontation between Israel and Iran, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has said that his country is in "constant contact" with the Ministry of External Affairs on the subject of evacuation of Indian nationals from there. Israel in constant contact with MEA: Ambassador Azar on evacuation of Indian nationals In an interview with PTI Videos at the agency's headquarters here on Friday, Azar also said that "whatever message we get from the Indian government, we take it very seriously" in order to make sure that all Indian citizens are safe. His remarks came in response to a query on the evacuation of Indians residing in Israel amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. "We are in constant contact with the MEA, on all subjects that have to do with evacuation of civilians. We've been cooperating since the beginning of the war, and this cooperation continues. We have open channels, and whatever message we get from the Indian government, we take it very seriously in order to make sure that all Indian citizens are safe," Azar said. The Indian Embassy in Israel has been issuing advisories since the start of the conflict, urging Indian nationals there to take adequate precautions. As the military confrontation intensified, India decided to evacuate its nationals from Israel who wish to leave in view of the unfolding security situation in that country. New Delhi's decision on Thursday to evacuate its citizens came hours after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in the Beersheba area of Israel. "In view of the recent developments between Israel and Iran, the government of India has decided to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "Their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India," it said. India on Wednesday announced the launch of 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from Iran after the Persian Gulf nation's conflict with Israel showed no sign of letting up. On June 17, Azar told reporters that his country will continue to do what is within its capabilities to "degrade" Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. At the briefing held here, he also said that it would be better if a diplomatic solution could be reached to halt the hostilities. Starting a week ago, Israel under its 'Operation Rising Lion' conducted multiple strikes on the territory of Iran, with Tehran also returning fire after warning Israel. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel hasn't threatened any country with annihilation unlike Iran, says Ambassador Reuven Azar
Nuclear powers around the world, while possessing significant military might, do not pose the same threat as Iran does due to their lack of aggressive policies and extreme ideologies, Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar said on Friday. He also called on Iran to abandon its nuclear program and said " Israel hasn't threatened any country with annihilation." Speaking to PTI Videos, Azar said, "We have stated that Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo He emphasized that the situation is fundamentally different when it comes to Iran, a "regime that has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction". "We must be cautious with countries that have radical ideologies, especially those that deceive the international community repeatedly," Azar said. Live Events He also expressed gratitude to the US for its support but emphasized that Israel is committed to defending itself independently. He stressed that Israel's actions are rooted in self-defence. "We are a democracy, and we go to war, unfortunately, only when we are threatened, and in this case, we are threatened with our own existence. We had no choice, and this is a consensus in Israel. It comes from all the parties that we have to take action because we want to survive," he added. Azar asserted that Tel Aviv has definitive evidence that Iran's nuclear program posed a grave and immediate threat to Israel's security. "We acted at almost the last moment we had in order to foil and remove Iran's plan for the extermination of our state," he said. He claimed that Iran has been working for over three decades to build a strategy that could potentially destroy Israel. While many find this hard to believe, he said, the evidence is clear. "First and the most dangerous track is the nuclear track because this regime that has sworn to destroy Israel, has stated that, multiple times, was actually acquiring the means to have weapons of mass destruction. So, they have deceived the international community and the IAEA for many years and only last week, ten days ago, the IAEA issued a report saying that Iran is in a situation of non- compliance of the safeguard agreement of the NPT," he said. According to Azar, Iran's high-level uranium enrichment was unjustified by any peaceful, civilian nuclear programme and pointed directly to the weaponization of their nuclear materials. "We couldn't allow a country that has sworn to destroy us to acquire these capabilities," Azar said, adding. "That is why we took action against their nuclear programme." In addition to its nuclear pursuits, Azar said Iran's "ballistic missile programme is the second major threat". Over the years, Iran has developed an arsenal of thousands of ballistic missiles, capable of launching an unprecedented number of warheads, he claimed. Azar said that the Iranian missile program could potentially lead to the production of 20,000 ballistic missiles within six years, each carrying the destructive power equivalent to a nuclear bomb, he further claimed. The White House on Thursday said Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in "a couple of weeks" once given the go-ahead from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However on March 25, US President Donald Trump's director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Iran was not moving towards building nuclear weapons. Azar said Israel is "grateful to the US because it has given us the assistance that we need, first of all, to defend ourselves by ourselves". He, however, said his country's principle has been - "Israel defends itself, and we do not expect others to fight our wars." He made it clear that while Israel values American support, both military and moral, the country does not expect the US to take on a fighting role. "We are not requesting others to come to our defence. We are defending ourselves," he added. "Whatever the United States decides to do, and President Trump decides to do, is going to be according to American interests and American national interests," Azar said. The White House on Thursday said Trump will decide whether or not the US gets directly involved in the Iran-Israel conflict within the next two weeks. On whether Israel has found it easier to work with Trump's current administration compared to the previous one of Joe Biden, Azar said that their world view was more aligned with the current administration. "We've been working with all administrations because the US is not only the biggest ally of Israel, but it's really our friend, and we share values and we share interests. And sometimes, you know, this doesn't mean that we will agree on everything. There were administrations which found it harder to see things eye to eye. "Sometimes we had differences. So even by the administration that we, you know, had differences, we still enjoyed very generous assistance for which we are very grateful. I think that with the Trump administration , our world view is more in alignment, especially when it comes to dealing with elements like the Iranians." Israel and Iran entered into an open military conflict when Israel, on June 13, launched a major attack with air strikes, setting off explosions in Tehran following which Iran retaliated. PTI
