"PM Narendra Modi and Netanyahu have identified water as a strategic issue for both countries": Israel's envoy to India

Azar said this on the India Water Week being held in the country. The eighth India Water Week was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday. The week-long initiative is aimed at promoting water conservation and management across the country, a PIB press release stated.

Azar also said that Israel has been cooperating with India in the creation of 32 centers of excellence in agriculture that are helping to plan the water usage of each area and in addition to that, introducing in an effective way the irrigation technologies.

Talking to ANI about how both countries can collaborate in terms of the water week, Azar said, "We have great cooperation between India and Israel thanks to the leadership of both of our Prime Ministers, PM Narendra Modi and Netanyahu, that have identified water as a strategic issue for both countries. Israel has started introducing irrigation technologies to India more than 30 years ago, but now we are going to the next step."

He added, "We have a water envoy here and what she is doing is basically bringing our governments together to plan water projects and using the amazing bank of solutions that Israel has created as a result of our water scarcity in Israel. And these water solutions are in four main fields. The first is irrigation. Of course, irrigation is essential not only to save water but also to increase crops and to prevent water degradation."

The Israeli envoy added that another solution is about water management and networks.

"The second solution has to do with water management, the networks. Israel has introduced technologies to prevent leakage, to have sensors, to control the water system, to meter the water, to price the water, and to put quotas on the water. Those essential things for water management of networks are the next thing in order to create a situation in which we have effective use of water. The third solution has to do with purification, or recycling of water," he said.

Azar stated that today we have to deal with climate change and also secure sustainability and prevent contamination of water.

"Today, in order to secure sustainability and to prevent climate change, to deal with the challenges we're having, like urbanization, that is increasing the usage of water in developed economies, we have to deal with preventing contamination. So when we purify the water, we have an additional source of water, we prevent contamination, we do decarbonisation. And therefore the technology to purify has become essential in any water policy. The final issue in the bank is desalination. When all the other solutions are not enough and you still need water in places like islands or other things, you have to use desalination and thanks to great development of Israeli technologies we have created cheap solutions that can create additional sources of water which can afterwards be recycled and reused under the chapter of purification," he said.

Azar added that Israel has been helping India to plan water usage of each area.

"Well, Israel has been cooperating with India in the creation of 32 centers of excellence in agriculture that are first and foremost helping to plan the water usage of each area in India and to introduce in an effective way the irrigation technologies. In addition to that, Israeli companies are partnering with the Indian government to implement projects of new water resources and the effective use of water networks in coordination with the water companies that are managing the main cities of India," he said.

Talking about Lebanon Pager blasts in which at least nine people were killed and 2,800 injured on Tuesday, the enoy termed allegations on Israel "ridiculus."

"We are very keen in getting our population back to their homes in northern Israel. They have been removed from their cities as a result of the completely unprovoked attack of Hezbollah from Lebanon since the 8th of October. We are looking forward to a solution that will allow our population to go back to their settlements, to their cities. And for that to happen, Hezbollah forces will have to move north to the Litani River and implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701," Azar said.

Pagers belonging to members of the Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah, exploded almost simultaneously. Hezbollah blamed Israel for pager explosions and pledged retribution.

"It's absolutely ridiculous that such a theocratic tyrant will lecture anybody in the world. First and foremost, the entire world is looking for a day in which Iranians will be free. And this is what we have to concentrate on," he added.

Speaking on the possibility of PM Modi and Netanyahu meeting in New York, Azar said that we must see how their schedules match.

"I don't know. We'll have to see how their schedules match, so I don't have an answer for that. But if we do have such an opportunity, that of course will enhance our very good cooperation on a great list of fields," he said. (ANI)