Israel–Romania relations

Israel–Romania relations

Israel
Romania

Israel–Romania relations are foreign relations between Israel and Romania. Both countries established full diplomatic relations on June 11, 1948. Israel has an embassy in Bucharest.[1] Romania has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 3 honorary consulates (in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv).[2] The two countries have signed many bilateral treaties and agreements and both of them are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean and many other international organizations.

Country Comparison

Israel Israel Romania Romania
Populations 8,702,780 19,638,000
Area 20,770/22,072 km² (8,019/8,522 sq mi) 238,391 km² (92,043 sq mi)
Population density 359/km² (930/sq mi) 84/km² (218/sq mi)
Capital Jerusalem Bucharest
Largest city Jerusalem Bucharest
Government Unitary parliamentary republic Unitary semi-presidential republic
First Leader David Ben-Gurion Alexandru Ioan Cuza
Current Leader Benjamin Netanyahu Klaus Iohannis
Official languages Hebrew, Arabic Romanian
Main religions 75% Judaism, 18% Islam 80% Eastern Orthodox, 6% Protestant
GDP (nominal) $348,000 billion ($40,000 per capita) $205,000 billion ($11,000 per capita)
GDP (PPP) $316,000 billion ($36,000 per capita) $470,000 billion ($24,000 per capita)
Military expenditures $15.209 billion (6.5% of GDP) $3.2 billion (2% of GDP)

History

During the Cold War, Romania was the only communist country not to break its diplomatic relations with Israel. In 1984, the Romanian minister of tourism visited Israel. The Romanian foreign minister Ioan Totu arrived in January 1988 accompanied by his department director, Mielcioiu. The minister of foreign trade and international cooperation, Ioan Unger came with a Romanian delegation in October 1988. Nicolae Ceaușescu's emissaries were sent for talks with Israeli leaders, though the head of state himself did not pay an official visit, claiming he would only do so when the Arab-Israeli conflict was resolved.[3]

In 2010, Israeli President Shimon Peres visited Romania and met with several Romanian leaders, among them President Traian Basescu, Senate leader Mircea Geoana and Lower House Speaker Roberta Anastase. They discussed cooperation in the areas of defense, technology, education, business and tourism, and signed two agreements.[4]

In 2014, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta arrived in Israel and met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[5][6][7]

In March 2016, Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis arrived in Israel and met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, and other officials. They discussed terrorism, and Holocaust remembrance.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

In April 2018, Romania announced that they would move their embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.[14][15][16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Israeli embassy in Bucharest
  2. ↑ Romanian embassy in Tel Aviv
  3. ↑ Israeli-Romanian Relations at the End of the Ceausescu Era, Yosef Govrin
  4. ↑ Israeli president hails partnership with Romania
  5. ↑ "Peres greets Romanian premier in Jerusalem prior to China trip". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  6. ↑ "Statements by PM Victor Ponta on his return from the visit in Israel". Guvernul României. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  7. ↑ "PM Netanyahu welcomes Romanian PM Ponta 24 Jun 2014". GxMSDev. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  8. ↑ "Romanian President pledges solidarity with Israel against terrorism, anti-Semitism". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  9. ↑ "Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis visits Israel - Latest News Briefs - Arutz Sheva". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  10. ↑ "President wants Holocaust Museum in Romania". Romania-Insider.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  11. ↑ "Israeli, Romanian presidents seek to intensify cooperation between countries". i24news. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  12. ↑ "Romanian president vows to fight to stamp out anti-Semitism - Israel Hayom".
  13. ↑ "Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on state visit to Israel 7 Mar 2016". GxMSDev. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  14. ↑ "Romania to relocate embassy to Jerusalem". Israel National News. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  15. ↑ Landau, Noa (2018-04-19). "Defying EU Policy, Romania Advances Proposal to Move Embassy to Jerusalem". Haaretz. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  16. ↑ "Romania begins process for possible move of its embassy to Jerusalem". Retrieved 2018-04-19.
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