Israeli-Romanian strategic relations, a fresh turn

73 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations with Israel.

Corina Cristea, 10.06.2021, 14:00

The president of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, these days has
been on a visit to Romania. It was the top-ranking Israeli official’s first
state visit to our country. According to the Presidential Administration in
Bucharest, the visit stands proof of the fact that Israel remains Romania’s key
strategic partner in the Middle East. Romania’s relations with Israel are based
on strong, historical ties. It was the key point Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis emphasized during the meeting with his Israeli counterpart. On the
same occasion, President Klaus Iohannis went on to say Romania was a
model as regards the initiatives taken in order to preserve the memory of the
Holocaust and to fight antisemitism. President Iohannis also made mention of
the recent violent clashes that sadly claimed the lives of both Israelis and
Palestinians. Iohannis also stated direct talks had to be resumed, so
that the two states could find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Klaus Iohannis:

Romania shares the belief whereby
both the Israelis and the Palestinians have the right to live in peace and
security, strongly supporting, together with its main international partners, a
solution to be put forward by the two states, according to the rules and
standards set by the international law.

In turn, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin recalled that Romania was the only state of the former Soviet bloc that has never
severed its ties with Israel. In the Romanian Parliament’s joint plenary
session, the Israeli president, among other things, emphasized the importance
of an awareness-raising stance, taken with respect to the phenomena triggered
by anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racism. According to the Israeli president, a
joint fight must be put together against such a scourge, and that in one single
voice. Mr Rivlin also emphasized the fact Romania was a staunch supporter of
the first strategy against anti-Semitism that was built at the level of the
European Union, a strategy that will be finalized as soon as possible.

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin:

Certainly, we do not forget
history. In the past, the violent anti-Semitism, pogroms, murders, mainly
perpetrated during the Holocaust, but much more important than that is
the fact that Romania’s governing bodies found ways to ensure history was not
forgotten and that Romania must wage an uncompromising battle against
anti-Semitism.

Romania’s economic cooperation with Israel has a great
potential for the two states’ mutual benefit. This is what Reuven Rivlin
stated, in another development, as part of the Romania-Israel Business Forum.
President Rivlin highlighted the fact that the cooperation opportunities
between the two states were important. Also stating that Romania was one of the
few countries with which Israel shared its military expertise and experience,
President Rivlin believed that the eventual aim, to that end, was to integrate
Israel’s innovations into Romania’s capabilities and industry, so that new
state-of-the art military technologies could be created, which Romania can then
export. Part of the Israeli delegation attending the Forum were many Israeli defense and
smart city companies, as well as cyber and national security firms, but also healthcare
and healthcare digitization companies. Also present at the forum were companies
producing software and specialized equipment, farming and water management
companies, as well as companies
producing irrigation systems and glasshouses, or companies creating animal
breeding technologies. Around 8,300 Israeli companies are active on Romanian
territory at the moment.

(Translation by Eugen Nasta)