Israeli Ambassador Bass pays tribute to BP Koirala

Ambassador of Israel to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass paid a heartfelt tribute to Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister BP Koirala during a visit to the BP Museum in Sundarijal on Tuesday.

After presenting his credentials to President Ram Chandra Paudel on November 22, Ambassador Bass made his first public visit to honor the enduring friendship between Nepal and Israel, established 64 years ago on June 1, 1960.

During the visit, Ambassador Bass reflected on the visionary leadership of BP Koirala and instrumental role in establishing diplomatic relations between Nepal and Israel during Israel’s foundation period. “My team and I will work to ensure this friendship lasts forever,” said Ambassador Bass, according to a statement issued by the Embassy of Israel.

Welcoming Ambassador Bass, Chairperson of BP Museum Parasuram Pokharel remarked: “Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1960. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ambassador Shmulik Arie Bass and the Government of Israel for visiting the Musuem, named in honor of BP Koirala. We are confident that this visit will further strengthen the long-standing ties between Nepal and Israel. It is worth noting that this museum was once a jail where BP Koirala was imprisoned for nine years.”

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Nepal and Israel have been enjoying deep friendship, which is being demonstrated by many high-level visits and undertaking of numerous mutually benefitting cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, education, health among many others, especially through MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation). Both countries continue to strengthen this bond at multiple levels, from government-to-government cooperation to people-to-people level.

It may be noted that Nepal was the first country in South Asia to recognize Israel as a State. Two men with extraordinary visions and respect for their countries and their peoples, late BP Koirala and late David Ben-Gurion, both the then Prime Ministers of their respective countries, were able to see this friendship standing strong to this present time.