Jerusalem: Diplomatic relationship with India is very important for Israel, said Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem in charge of foreign relations, economic development and tourism, on Monday.

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, whose husband's family hails from Kolkata, told ANI that the ties with India are very important for Israel as both countries share similar strengths and challenges.

"It is very important for us. Our Prime Ministers are very close friends. We have trade and innovation collaborations. We have similar strengths and similar challenges. We hope our relationship will go from strength to strength," Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem said in response to a question on importance of bilateral ties.

The Jerusalem Deputy Mayor also expressed her love for Indian food and Indian clothes.

Earlier, Israeli diplomat Roey Gilad spoke to ANI about the growing cooperation between the two countries.

"A strong relationship has been developed between Israel and India in previous decades. It's on the leadership level as well. Cooperation between India as a global superpower and Israel as a regional superpower has risen too," Roey Gilad, Ambassador, Centre for Policy Research, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told ANI.

This comes in the backdrop Benjamin Netanyahu's recent win in Israeli general elections. Netanyahu his allies won enough seats to form a majority government in Israel's parliament.

"We have received a huge vote of confidence and we are on the verge of a very big victory," Netanyahu said, during an early morning speech at a victory rally in Jerusalem.

Orly Ades, director of the Central Elections Committee which oversees elections in Israel, said the official results will be submitted to President Isaac Herzog, who is expected to task Netanyahu with forming the next government.

The final count showed Netanyahu, backed by an alliance of extreme-right parties, would return to power with 64 seats, while his main rival, centrist Yair Lapid and his bloc of the current coalition government, garnered 51 seats.