PM Modi awarded Knesset’s highest medal; Rare leader to receive top awards from Israel & Palestine

The Knesset on Wednesday conferred the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal” — its highest honour — upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his address to the Israeli Parliament. He is the first leader to receive the medal.

The award was presented in recognition of PM Modi’s “exceptional contribution through his personal leadership” in strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel. The honour was conferred after his speech, which received a standing ovation and rapturous applause from members.

Historic Honour and Parliamentary Engagement

After the ceremony, PM Modi interacted with members of the Israeli Parliament, with several MPs taking selfies and photographs with him. In his address, he expressed gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations.

Notably, Prime Minister Modi is among the rare world leaders to have received top honours from both Israel and Palestine. In 2018, he was conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine — the highest Palestinian honour for foreign leaders.

Emphasis on Shared History and People-to-People Ties

During his speech, PM Modi said there is great admiration in India for Israel’s resolve, courage and achievements. He underscored that ties between the two peoples date back over two thousand years, noting that the Book of Esther refers to India as “Hodu” and the Talmud records ancient trade with India.

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He also highlighted the historical presence of Jewish communities in India, stating they have lived without fear of persecution or discrimination and have fully participated in society — a record he described as a source of pride.

Emphasising that people-to-people ties lie at the heart of the partnership, he observed the growing popularity of Yoga and Ayurveda in Israel and invited more young Israelis to visit India. He noted that the Indian Parliament has established a Parliamentary Friendship Group for Israel and called for greater exchanges between Members of Parliament from both democracies.