Benjamin Netanyahu, the name that is making headlines all over the news now, and often referred to ‘Bibi’, is the longest serving Israeli Prime Minister. While people might know how he has been able to influence Israel’s domestic and foreign policies over several decades now, a lot do not know him beyond politics. He is also fond of India, its food, its people and when PM Modi paid visit to Israel, he was the one who said that Israel had waited for this day to come. Under him and PM Modi, India and Israel are deepening its friendship, despite the historical ideological difference. Who Is ‘Bibi’, Benjamin Netanyahu? Benjamin Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv in 1949 to a Zionist family and had deeply valued Jewish statehood. His grandfather, Nathan, was a rabbi who traveled in America and Europe and gave speeches that supported Zionism. He moved his family to Palestine in 1920 and then changed the family name to Netanyahu, which means, “God-given”. His son, and the Israeli PM’s father, Benzion Netanyahu was a professor of Judaic studies who taught at Cornell from 1971 to 1975, and passed away at the age of 102. With this background, it is no surprise that he deeply believes in the Jewish nation state. In fact, in one of his speeches, he quoted the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, and said, “You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember.” The story is of when God commended King Saul in the first Book of Samuel to kill every person in Amalek, a rival nation to ancient Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu said this while talking about fighting against Hamas. He described Hamas as an “enemy of incomparable cruelty”. It is his fight against Hamas, and its terror that has brought him closer to India’s fight against terrorism. But the relationship goes beyond policies, it is much indulged in culture. ‘Bibi’s Love For Desi Food, Culture, and Everything Indian Apart from his religious beliefs that has driven his notion of statehood, he is also fond of India. Tandoori Tel Aviv, an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv, is where Netanyahu met his future wife Sara on their first date. Reena Pushkarna, owner of the restaurant, as reported by Mint, says, “The first date of PM Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu was on this, Table No 8.” Netanyahu loves Indian food and orders at least twice a week. His go to? Butter chicken and karahi chicken. In 2017, when PM Modi visited Israel, Netanyahu recalled his date at the restaurant and said. “food was great” Reena also said that while he loves chicken, and everything grilled, he also loves butter chicken sauce, which is made in “tikka masala style due to kosher restrictions.” What he doesn’t enjoy is dhaniya, or green coriander, remarks the restaurant owner. Food has also played an important role bringing the two countries together. As Reena also says that while a lot of politics happen, it is always set in the background of food. “We waited 70 years for you” It is also in the year 2017, when on PM Modi’s arrival, Netanyahu greeted him with a warm hug, and said, “We have waited for 70 years for you.” He welcomed PM Modi with “Aapka swagat hai mere dost”, while PM Modi hit all the right notes and returned “Shalom”. Modi also praised the Entebbe raid, which was led by Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, his brother. PM Modi said, “Your heroes are an inspiration for younger generations.” “In India We Met Much Love” In 2018, Netanyahu and his wife visited India and visited the iconic Taj Mahal. After visiting the mausoleum, he said, “In India we met much love, love for Israel, and here we are in the temple of love.” During his visit, he also hosted an event ‘Shalom Bollywood’, where he met prominent figures in the Hindi film industry. “Pyaare doston, namaskar. Shalom. I used to think I was a big deal, and then I found out that Amitabh Bachchan has 30 million more Twitter followers than I do. And I added up the followings of all the other Bollywood stars who are here today, and let’s just say that you guys are a big deal. The reason for that is that the world loves Bollywood. And Israel loves Bollywood — I love Bollywood,” he said. There he took a selfie with Amitabh Bachchan, which became one of the most viral photos after the one that had gone viral during the Oscars. Up recently, Netanyahu also condemned the Pahalgham attack and called the incident “barbaric” and affirmed that Israel stands with India through and through, not just for its culture, but also in its fight against terrorism.