VISIT TO ISRAEL – Prime Minister
\nMarcel Ciolacu is on a visit to Israel, where he is holding talks with Prime
\nMinister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives of the Romanian community,
\naffected by the escalation of the security climate in the region. The Romanian
\nofficial will also meet Menachem Hacohen, a great rabbi of the Jewish community
\nin Romania over 1997-2011. I went to Israel to convey our message of
\nsolidarity with the Israeli people and our strong support for the Romanian
\ncommunity in this country. In these troubled times, Romania remains a pillar of
\nstability and peace, defending democratic values and human rights and firmly
\ncombating terrorism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hate speech, Prime Minister
\nMarcel Ciolacu said. Accompanying the Prime Minister’s delegation are also Defense
\nMinister Angel T\u00eelv\u0103r, Foreign Minister Lumini\u021ba Odobescu, deputy Silviu
\nVexler, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, as well
\nas Romania’s Ambassador to Israel, Radu Ioanid. <\/p>\n
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WAR IN GAZA – Romania’s
\npresident, Klaus Iohannis, is today attending a special meeting of the European
\nCouncil, held by video conference and called by European Council president
\nCharles Michel in the context of concerns the war between Israel and Hamas
\ncould exacerbate tensions between communities and trigger a new migratory wave
\ntowards Europe. We need to ensure assistance to affected civilians. We need to
\navoid the conflict from escalating by engaging all regional actors. The
\nsolution is sustainable peace based on a two-state solution. This conflict can
\nbreed tensions between our communities and amplify extremism. Finally, there is
\na major risk of migration and movements of a large number of people to
\nneighboring countries, Charles Michel said. <\/p>\n
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US SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL – US President Joe
\nBiden will also travel to Israel on Wednesday for talks with the Israeli Prime
\nMinister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has a right to defend itself, State
\nSecretary Antony Blinken said. President Biden is expected to reaffirm US
\nsolidarity with Israel ahead of this country’s planned offensive against Hamas
\nmilitants in Gaza, Secretary Blinken also said. According to the US official,
\npresident Biden will be briefed concerning Israel’s operations, which are aimed
\nat minimizing the loss of civilian lives and allowing humanitarian aid to reach
\nGaza before being intercepted by Hamas. In turn, Prime Minister Benjamin
\nNetanyahu is holding talks with other leaders. The Israeli official talked to
\nthe Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, who conveyed his condolences for the victims
\nof the October 7 Hamas attack, condemning any and all attacks on the civilian
\npopulation. Today, Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz is also expected to arrive
\nin Israel to meet Prime Minister Netanyahu, president Herzog and Defense
\nMinister yoav Gallant. Chancellor Scholz will also meet with the parents of the
\nyoung German people held hostage in Gaza. Olaf Scholz is the first head of
\nstate to visit Israel to express solidarity with this country. <\/p>\n
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ATTACK – The man suspected
\nof killing two Swedish tourists yesterday night in Brussels has been detained
\nthis morning in the Belgian capital. A Federal Prosecutor’s Office spokesman
\ntold AFP the man was arrested after police officers opened fire, without
\nhowever revealing his authority or mentioning if the attacker was wounded in
\nthe exchange. The attack had been claimed in an online video by an individual
\nwho said the attack was inspired by the Islamic State, which prompted the
\nauthorities to treat the incident as a terrorist attack and raise alert levels.
\nThe attacker could be of Tunisian origin, Belgian media writes. <\/p>\n
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NATURAL GAS – Romania’s gas deposits are at full
\ncapacity, which means our country could get through the winter without gas
\nimports, provided it is mild, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said. Romania
\ncan also provide assistance to the Republic of Moldova, if needed. Maintaining
\nthe cap on electricity and gas prices for household users is necessary in the
\ncontext of the crisis in the Middle East impacting global energy markets,
\nMinister Burduja went on to say. (VP)<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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