October 13, 2023
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 13.10.2023, 13:55
ISRAEL In a special session
on Thursday night the Israeli Parliament endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s emergency unity government and a cabinet of war. According to
observers, an enlarged coalition is needed for the adoption of large-scale
military and political decisions in the following days after the unprecedented bloody
attacks of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas. The attacks resulted in a
war with Israel which has left thousands of dead, mostly civilians, on both
sides. Roughly 150 people have been taken hostage by Hamas and are being held
in captivity in Gaza. In another development, the presidents of the European
Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, are
today flying to Israel to express the EU’s solidarity after the bloody Hamas
attacks. In turn, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken is being expected in
Qatar for talks with the local leaders including with a view to finding a
solution to the hostages crisis. The head of the US diplomacy went to Tel Aviv
on Thursday, where he said that the United States would always support Israel
and that the Palestinians’ legitimate aspirations aren’t being represented by
Hamas, which presently rules Gaza. The UN has made an emergency appeal for
donations for the vulnerable residents of the West Bank and Gaza. Over 400
thousand Palestinians have been relocated in the past days from the besieged
Strip, which has been constantly under the bombardment of the Israeli army. The
United Nations says the Israeli military informed it late on Thursday that 1.1
million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the enclave’s south within the
next 24 hours.
REPATRIATIONS
Another 127 Romanian citizens have been safely repatriated from Israel. They
have been flown to Romania by several airline companies since Thursday night,
the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced. Over two thousand Romanians have
been flown home by means of an air bridge involving 22 flights. Out of the 350
Romanians in Gaza, who have been monitored by the authorities in Bucharest, 50
have requested assistance to come back to Romania. In the meantime, Romania’s
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says the government is considering the
possibility of covering the transport fees for the families with low incomes.
He has made an appeal to Romanians to avoid any pilgrimage to the region in
this period.
FOOTBALL
Romania’s national football side ended in a goaless draw their Thursday’s match
against Belarus in Budapest as part of the EURO 2024 preliminaries. Although
they managed a good show on Thursday the Romanians failed to defeat a rather
modest opponent. Belarus is playing their games on neutral ground, upon a UEFA
decision. In another Group one game, Kosovo defeated Andorra 3-0 while the
match pitching Israel against Switzerland has been postponed for November 15th.
After the draw on Thursday, Romania ranks second in the group with 13 points
after Switzerland with 14. Israel ranks third with 11 points, followed by
Kosovo with 7, Belarus with 5 and Andorra with 2. On Sunday, Romania will be
playing Andorra at home in a game, when only children under 14 are granted access
to the stadium.
(bill)
