Levin addresses Romanian parliament, calls on Bucharest to move embassy to Jerusalem

Addressing a joint session of both houses of parliament in Bucharest, Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin calls on Romania to move its embassy to Jerusalem and praises the Eastern European nation as “a symbol of moral strength and a beacon of justice” for its policies vis-à-vis Israel.

“The heart of the Holy Land is our eternal capital, Jerusalem. After many years of denying our historical rights to our capital, President Trump transferred the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Other prominent leaders from a growing number of countries followed suit. I believe that the Romanian flag deserves to be flown in the city of the great Kings David and Solomon,” he states.

Israel “stands at the forefront of defending democratic values, women’s rights, and freedom” but “instead of standing in solidarity with Israel, there are those who cynically exploit international law to deny us our basic right to self-defense,” he continues — condemning those who, “instead of standing with Prime Minister Netanyahu in the war on terror… have chosen to issue an arrest warrant against him.”

Last January, despite an arrest warrant for Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu invited Netanyahu to visit Bucharest.

“Especially in these times, as worrying winds of antisemitism and hostility toward Israel blow through parts of Europe, Romania stands as a symbol of moral strength and a beacon of justice. From this distinguished podium, I call upon European leaders across the continent: Follow in Romania’s footsteps,” Levin declares.

During his trip, Levin met with senior Romanian officials, his office says in a statement.