WASHINGTON—Romania’s Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced that her country will move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem.
“I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government I lead, will move our embassy to Jerusalem,” she announced Sunday at the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is the largest pro-Israel advocacy group in the United States.
Dancila declared: “Our support of the State of Israel and the Jewish community is constant. I am determined to contribute to closer relations between Israel and the entire European Union, particularly now, when Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.”
“As we all know, President Donald Trump opened the embassy of the United States in Jerusalem. This admirable and brave step impressed me, my government, and the Romanian people.”
“Moving the American embassy is emblematic, and it proves the connection of values and interests between the American people and the Israeli people,” she said.
“Also, this gesture has launched, at the international level, a process of reflection,” she added. “In fact, the Romanian government initiated the process of evaluating the opportunity of moving the Romanian embassy to Jerusalem.”
She promised that Romania would “remain the same loyal friend and the strongest European voice in support of the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” concluding with the words, “shalom chaveirim (Peace friends), see you in Jerusalem.”
Dancila’s previous pledge to move the embassy to Jerusalem has been opposed by the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis who is to make the final decision. He is eager to follow the EU stance of opposing any move.
During the AIPAC conference opening session, Honduras’ President Juan Orlando Hernández said that “Honduras will immediately open our official diplomatic mission, and this will extend our embassy to the capital of Israel, Jerusalem.”
Honduras was one of just nine countries to vote against a U.N. General Assembly resolution in December 2017 condemning the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are among the main speakers scheduled to address the conference, which take place from March 24-26, just weeks before Israelis go to the polls on April 9.