Israel's Consul General pays tribute to 26/11 Mumbai attack victims

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 26 (ANI): Israel's Consul General Kobbi Shoshani, on Saturday visited sites of the terror attack in 2008--the Taj Mahal Hotel, Leopold Cafe, Nariman House, Victoria station Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and Oberoi Trident-- and said that these places reminded people that they have to fight against terrorism.
"I remember the day like it was yesterday. A few days after the incident I was sent to Mumbai. I saw this building wasn't in the best position. Felt the smell of ammunition inside it. I saw broken windows and blood," Shoshani said outside Nariman House.
He further said, "For me, this place and all the other sites where the terror attack happened are places that remind us every day that we have to fight against terrorism."
After visiting the places that had seen the terror attack on 26/11, Israel's Consul General said that he visited Taj Mahal Hotel, Leopold Cafe, Nariman House, Victoria station Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Oberoi Trident and more, adding "We never forget."
In 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists (LeT) carried out 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks killing at least 166 people and leaving 300 others wounded. Nariman House, a Chabad Lubavitch Jewish centre in Mumbai also known as the Chabad House, was taken over by two attackers and several residents were held hostage.
Earlier, Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon, in a video, said that Israel stands with India against the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and will "never forget and never forgive."
"Today, we're commemorating 14 years of the horrendous terror attacks in the centre of Mumbai, one of the busiest cities in India and the world. Israel stands with India against terror. It's not only because there were Israeli victims, both India and Israel are victims of years of ongoing terror," Gilon said.
He further added, "And the only way to counter terror is uniting together. We will never forget, we will never forgive, both countries are victims of terror. We appreciate India convened two international conferences on combating terror and terror financing. Never forget never forgive and together we stand."
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said terrorism threatens humanity, as he remembered the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He also said those who planned and oversaw the attacks must be brought to justice.
"Terrorism threatens humanity. Today, on 26/11, the world joins India in remembering its victims. Those who planned and oversaw these attacks must be brought to justice. We owe this to every victim of terrorism around the world," Jaishankar tweeted.
Last month, India hosted the two-day anti-terrorism meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), under India's chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC).
After the CTC last month meeting, a Delhi Declaration was issued which underlined that terrorists' opportunity to access safe havens continues to be a significant concern and that all Member States must cooperate fully in the fight against terrorism.
The Declaration also recognized that terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
During UNSC's special meeting, Jaishankar highlighted that the global threat of terrorism is growing and expanding despite the UNSC's best efforts to combat the "gravest threat to humanity".
"Terrorism remains the gravest threat to humanity. The UN Security Council in the past two decades has evolved an important architecture built primarily around the counter-terrorism sanctions regime to combat this menace. This has effectively put the countries on notice that had turned terrorism into a state-funded enterprise," he said. (ANI)