New Delhi: ‘FAKE': Israel rubbishes reports of Indians being denied shelter amid Iran war
Israel has rubbished reports of Indians being denied shelter in Jerusalem amid the intensifying conflict in the Middle East after an image of people sleeping in the Subways began doing the rounds on social media, terming it “fake news”.
Guy Nir, the spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in India, said that “people of all ethnicities” are clearly visible in the picture. “Metro stations are designated and official safe spaces in Israel. Many of my Tel Aviv friends pass their nights there. And as you can see — Indian nationals are welcome, along with all nationals,” Nir said in a post on X. Follow US-Iran war news live updates
Last week, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv issued an advisory for its nationals in Israel soon after the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government launched joint strikes on Iran with the United States. India asked its nationals in Israel to “exercise utmost caution and remain vigilant at all times”.
The advisory urged residents to closely follow all safety instructions and guidelines issued by the Israeli authorities, including directions from the Home Front Command.
Indians in Israel were also asked to stay close to designated shelters and ensure they are familiar with the nearest protected spaces near their homes and workplaces.
Additionally, Indian nationals were advised to avoid all non-essential travel within Israel until further notice and to remain attentive to local news, official announcements, and emergency alerts for timely updates on the ongoing military conflict with Iran.
Since the weekend, during which the joint US-Israeli strikes also killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the conflict in the Middle East region has snowballed into a full-blown global turmoil, affecting other nations in the region, impacting oil trade, etc.
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In a bid to avenge Khamenei, Iran also launched retaliatory strikes against the US and Israel, as part of which, Tehran struck several US-related bases in other Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Jordan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Middle East conflict is a “matter of grave concern” for India. He asserted India’s foreign policy stance and said that New Delhi has always been an advocate for peace amid global tensions.
“India supports resolution of all conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy,” he added. The prime minister further stated, “We will keep working with countries in West Asia to ensure the safety of Indians there.”
PM Modi also spoke with Netanyahu on Monday and reiterated the need for an “early cessation of hostilities” amid the ongoing conflict.
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