The recent declaration the social-democrat Romanian prime-minister Viorica Dancile made during her (second time) AIPAC speech regarding a moving of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem created a bit of international turmoil. A country often featured in the international media for the rampant corruption and the problematic economic achievements, besides a highly incoherent and (again) corrupt political establishment, it suceeded to get its moment of glory. What a brave country, the only one in the European Union - who is never the less currently president of the Council of the EU - that dared to express its support for the state of Israel. The fact that the president - belongong to the German minority in the country, openly reprimanded the Madame PM for her bold declaration might be the result of his complete trust into Germany's political guidance, among others. The King of Jordan (facing terrible pressure from the local terrorism threatening his throne every single moment if he is not taking a stronger stance in Israel/Palestinian-related issues) who was expected to visit Romania and participate among others on a round table regarding terrorism in the region cancelled his visit and the Palestinian ambassador in the country was recalled from consultations.
But is Romania such a big lover of Israel and the Jews in general. Or rather some of the Romanian politicians would rather love Israel than the Jews? Or, in fact, any of them?
This country's position towards Israel and the Jews during the Cold War - to focus only on the recent times - was always ambigous and circumstantial and most probably the recent declaration should be intelligently read in the context, without too many expectations, including for a coherent and heartwarming policy towards Jews and the state of Israel in general.
Partially good point: Romania was the only communist country to not break diplomatic relations with Israel. (Some well-informed naysayers will rather say that in fact Bucharest continued to play a very clear pawn position, sending to Moscow - with whom it was officially 'en froid', especially after the 1968 Prague Spring - various information received through its open channels with Israel. Gossips, of course...)
Several other not-so-good points:
- Ceaucescu was a great friend of Arafat who was a brother-in-arms of the Soviets. Romanians generously trained locally and also fed his PLO friends with made in Romania weapons (those weapons were used for...guess for what?).
- In 1974, Romania recognized PLO and a representative office was open here, and Ceaucescu tried to mediate near president Carter for an American recognition of the PLO. The same Romania openly supported the Palestinian cause to the United Nations. Students of Palestinian origin were allowed to come to study to Romania especially in the medical and engineering field, not few of them involved in various non-academic PLO-related activities.
- The despicable terrorist Carlos the Jackal, author of several deadly attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets who was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine was used by Ceaucescu - for money and comrade's kisses - against his political opponents abroad.
- Following very intense negotiations, with a high financial stake in exchange for money that ended up in Ceaucescu's personal budget, a high percentage of the Romanian Jews were allowed to emigrate to Israel. This emigration had a humiliating price: people were fired months in advance being allowed to leave the country and they had to leave all their properties to the state - based on a signed declaration that made impossible any post-communist restitution because it looked as it was done willingly. Once in a while, among those Jews, the 'intelligence' local services succeeded to sent their own people too. Love was so strong, you see...
- The Jewish life was under permanent observation from the same 'intelligence' that continued to keep a careful and skeptical eye on everything that has to do with Jewish life after the communist was no more a state description. In the 1980s, a wave of institutional, state supported anti-Semitism was the state policy in a country with a decreasing number of Jews. Truly believers communist Jews who helped at the very beginning the local communists when they were hardly able to read and write their own country's alphabet and language were eliminated from the rangs of the Romanian Communist Party and often humiliated, although they did their best to be like the rest - including by changing their names, giving up totally the religious practice and identity in general. After the end of the communism, the promoters of the nationalist ideology were safe and alive and very popular guests of the local media channels, talking freely, among others, about the 'Jewish conspirations'. This point of view was amplificated ad nauseam by the state church and its humble representatives.
That's only a (very) short account of some random facts. Will an eventual embassy move really change anything? Let's say past is far away and there is a new future and the Israeli political consultants that often visit Romania to keep themselves in shape in-between the many Israeli elections might know a different reality but...what is the international political weight and relevance of such a decision? Does it really help a cause? Any cause?
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