Israel PM Naftali Bennett tests positive for COVID, puts India trip in doubt

Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced in a statement on Monday. He was scheduled to visit India on April 2, however, his would now be in doubt.

Even though the Prime Minister’s office said that Bennett was feeling fine and will continue to work from home, it is expected that he will continue operations remotely. The Prime Minister will also be briefed on an attack late Sunday that killed two Border officers.

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Bennett’s office said in a statement earlier this month that he will visit India to mark the establishment of 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The three-day trip was announced after Bennett’s “friend” and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent over an invite.

“The purpose of the visit is to advance and strengthen the strategic alliance between the countries, and to expand bilateral ties. In addition, the leaders will discuss the strengthening of cooperation in a variety of areas, including innovation, economy, research and development, agriculture and more”, Israeli authorities said in a statement earlier this month, according to reports from Times of India.

“I am delighted to pay my first official visit to India at the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, and together we will continue leading the way for our countries’ relations”, the Israeli Prime Minister said before testing positive for COVID.

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In recent days, Bennett met with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And hours before the test, Bennett rushed to the city of Hadera, where gunmen killed two Border Police officers and wounded four others before they were shot and killed.

Israel is experiencing a modest increase in COVID-19 infections as an omicron subvariant spreads there as in many other countries, according to reports from Associated Press.