Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed Israel on Thursday after a dinner held in his honor Wednesday night at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. People close to Modi expressed anger that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son, Yair, was also invited to the dinner. Sources familiar with the matter said Yair’s attendance had not been coordinated in advance, and the Indian delegation was surprised and upset. Members of Modi’s team said that had they been informed Yair would attend, they would have prepared accordingly and brought someone to accompany the Indian prime minister.
Sensitive issues were expected to be discussed at the dinner between the leaders of India and Israel. Instead, Modi found himself dining not only with Netanyahu but also with his wife, Sara, and their son. The prime minister’s son posted a photo with Modi on Instagram, writing, “Welcome to Israel, Modi!”
On Wednesday, Modi visited the Knesset in Jerusalem. Netanyahu and Modi were supposed to leave the parliament building together, but Netanyahu was delayed. He initially told the Indian prime minister the delay would last about three minutes. In the end, he left the Knesset roughly half an hour later, prompting anger from the Indian side.
Farewell to Modi at Ben-Gurion Airport
(Video: Roi Avraham)
Sara took Katz’s seat and received credit for photoshopped images
At the King David Hotel, the leaders signed 16 cooperation agreements between the two countries. On the sidelines of the signing, what officials described as a “diplomatic incident” occurred. Staff from the Prime Minister’s Office placed name stickers on the seats designated for dignitaries: Defense Minister Israel Katz was assigned the first seat and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar the second. Later, Foreign Ministry staff switched the stickers so that Saar would sit first and Katz second. Prime Minister’s Office staff then arrived and, angrily, restored the original arrangement.
In the end, Katz did not attend the statements at the King David Hotel, and Sara Netanyahu took his seat. Saar sat in the second chair. At the conclusion of the event, Sara Netanyahu stood, congratulated Modi and posed for photographs with him and her husband.
During the visit, several images of Sara Netanyahu were published that appeared to have undergone extensive retouching. In each case, the Prime Minister’s Office credited the Government Press Office photographer for the image and added the name “Sara Netanyahu,” indicating she had taken responsibility for the Photoshop editing.
It was Sara Netanyahu’s first public appearance since returning to Israel from a stay of more than five weeks in Miami.
The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement regarding Yair Netanyahu’s participation in the dinner: “Prime Minister Modi was very pleased by the participation of the prime minister’s wife and son Yair in a family dinner with him last night, as the Netanyahu family has done countless times at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem with world leaders. Sensitive discussions are not held in this forum but in other forums attended by the relevant officials.”
First published: 22:38, 02.26.26