Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday continued his state visit to Romania in Bucharest, where he was received at the Presidential Palace by President Nicușor Dan of Romania in an official ceremony.
Following the ceremony, the presidents held a private meeting, followed by an expanded bilateral meeting. In their talks, the leaders discussed deepening bilateral cooperation across a range of fields, including technology, innovation, cyber, artificial intelligence, security, agriculture, culture, and tourism, alongside regional and international developments. The presidents then delivered statements to the media.
Herzog remarked, "President Nicușor Dan, my friend, thank you for your warm welcome here in Bucharest. I am deeply honored by your invitation to undertake this important state visit. Thank you for the very positive and open discussion between us and our teams."
"Mr. President, Israel and Romania meet today as two strong and vibrant democracies, bound by deeply held shared values over 78 years of diplomatic ties. In our meeting, we discussed how to deepen our cooperation across many fields of mutual interest, including technology, innovation, cyber, AI, security, agriculture, culture, tourism, and more."
Herzog noted, "Since the horrific massacre of October 7th, 2023, Israel has faced a multi-front war with Iran and its terror proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. But this war is not just against Israel. It is a war being waged by Iran's Empire of Evil against the free world. Romania understands this threat, and we deeply appreciate your steadfast support for Israel during this challenging, but vital, battle."
"Israel, like Romania, is a nation that seeks peace," he stressed. "We want to live in peace with all our neighbors, free from the threat of terror and violence. We seek peace with Lebanon, free from Iranian extortion, and I welcome the MOU signed on Friday between Israel and Lebanon, which can become the cornerstone of such a peace. The EU and the international community must support it, as well as help Lebanon to recover its economy and its stability, and support Israel's security."
"We seek peace with Syria, and a new chapter between our nations. And we seek peace in Gaza, because the people of Gaza, like the people of Israel, deserve a better future. But this can only be achieved with the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, under President Trump's Board of Peace, and must begin with the immediate disarmament of Hamas in accordance with the resolution.
"To those in Europe calling for boycotts and sanctions on Israel, I urge you to reverse course. Threats will not advance peace. Dialogue will. Speak with Israel, engage with Israel, and let us move toward peace together."
Romania's President Dan replied, "We have consistent cooperation in the economic field, in the security and defense industry, in agriculture, and in information technology. But as I discussed with the President, there is great potential to develop these economic relations in both directions, Israeli investment in Romania and Romanian investment in Israel, and we will continue to work together to grow these economic exchanges."
"Mr. President, you are visiting Romania to mark a tragic event in our shared history, 85 years since the Iași pogrom. I want to take this occasion to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of those days. I believe it is the responsibility of all of us to work so that events of this kind never happen again, in the world and, of course, in Romania.
"We are seeing a rise in hate speech, and we must act firmly, and at the same time with care, against manifestations of this kind, so that we can achieve de-escalation, de-radicalization, and a sense of communion among people of different opinions, religions, and beliefs. This is a task for all of us."