President Pranab Mukherjee may visit Israel in October

“Preparatory work is underway to schedule the President’s visit to Israel. The time band is squeezed between the holiday season in Israel and Durga Puja in India. Since the President wants to return before the Puja celebrations, the two sides will have advance preparatory meetings in early September,” a source told The Indian Express.

Mukherjee’s visit comes 18 years after Israel President Ezer Weizmann visited India in January 1997. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had visited India in September 2003, but there has been no Indian prime ministerial visit to Israel so far.

The President’s visit comes at a time when India’s relations with Israel is on a high after the Narendra Modi government assumed office last year. A visit by Modi is also expected in the near future, possibly early next year, sources said.

The Modi government has also nuanced its position towards Israel vis-a-vis Palestine in July this year, when India decided to abstain on a vote condemning Israel. The resolution was about Israel’s attacks on Palestine last year and, though the resolution was passed by a majority vote, India’s stance – different from the previous years – was quite telling.

A source said that while India formally recognised Israel on September 17, 1950, the Indian side — despite growing business and defence interests with Israel — has refused to acknowledge its ties with the country owing to its relations with Palestine.

However, in the past few days, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India’s commitment to the Palestine cause is not going to be affected owing to the good relations with Israel.

But since it is difficult to de-couple Israel-Palestine, the President will visit Palestine as well.