Haters resort to 'fake news': Israel Embassy denies issuing note verbale to MEA

New Delhi, April 30
The Embassy of Israel in India on Wednesday denied issuing the 'note verbale' to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), accusing an Indian Army officer of sexually assaulting an Israel Defense Force (IDF) personnel during a joint military exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, terming it as completely "fake".

The Embassy expressed shock over the incident, stating that haters resorting to such "fake news" to harm the strong bond between India and Israel will not succeed.

"Unbelievable! The bond between Israel and India is so solid, haters resort to fake news to try to harm it. It won't work," the Israeli Embassy posted on X.

Israel has expressed its solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called PM Narendra Modi over the "Islamist terrorist attack in Kashmir" and offered his condolences to the people of India.

"I spoke today with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed my condolences, and those of the people of Israel, to the people of India following the Islamic terrorist attack in Kashmir. Prime Minister Modi thanked me for sharing in India's grief and emphasised that our two countries stand shoulder to shoulder in the critical fight against murderous terrorism," Netanyahu posted on X on April 24.

PM Modi had also shared the barbaric nature of the cross-border terrorist attack and reiterated India's firm resolve to bring the perpetrators and their supporters to justice.

Last week, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar also met Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar in New Delhi and appreciated Israel's steadfast support in combating cross-border terrorism.

Azar took to social media and expressed gratitude to EAM Jaishankar for the useful discussion.

"Thankful for the useful discussion External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Looking forward to work together to overcome common challenges and untap India and Israel many opportunities!" he posted on X.

The brutal assault on April 22, which resulted in the death of 26 innocent tourists and left several others critically injured, unfolded in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam.

Four heavily armed terrorists, two of them from Pakistan, emerged from the surrounding dense forests and opened indiscriminate fire on tourists