Romania took its first steps toward moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
By: AP and United with Israel Staff
Liviu Dragnea, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party who effectively runs the Romanian government, said in a television interview late Thursday that the government had decided to move the nation’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
His statement coincided with Israel’s 70th Independence Day celebrations.
On Friday, President Klaus Iohannis, who is in charge of Romania’s foreign policy, said he hadn’t been informed and that the decision lacked “a solid … base.” However, he said such a decision could be made “after a deep analysis which takes into consideration all the foreign policy consequences and implications.”
The statement seemed to be an attempt to downplay Dragnea’s assertion that the country was ready to soon join the US and move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Romania’s foreign ministry said authorities were analyzing the situation and would consult and coordinate with “strategic allies.”
In December, Dragnea said Romania “should seriously consider moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. We should think about it very seriously.”
“All Israeli central institutions are in Jerusalem, and the ambassadors and embassy’s staff are commuting from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” he said.
He made his remarks shortly after President Donald Trump’s historic recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his announcement that the US embassy in Israel would move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
A few countries have shown support for Trump’s move, including the Czech Republic which recognized western Jerusalem as the capital of Israel following Trump’s policy changes on the city.
The Czech government’s move on western Jerusalem follows the Czech Parliament’s approval of legislation in May that recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
In April 2017, the Russian Foreign Ministry made a similar move to recognize “west Jerusalem” as the Israeli capital.
Earlier this month, lawmakers in Honduras voted to relocate the country’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Honduran lawmakers approved the measure 59-33, which now must be confirmed by the executive branch.
In March, Guatemalan President Morales announced that his country’s embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May.
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