PSD’s Dragnea about relocating Romania’s embassy to Jerusalem: MAE to conduct a serious analysis. Ambassador summoned by the Palestinian Authority

Social-democrat Chairman Liviu Dragnea said on Wednesday that the Foreign Ministry (MAE) should take seriously the possibility to relocate the Romanian Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, noting that it has all the institutional capacity to conduct a serious analysis.

“Things don’t look too complicated to me. Israel is a sovereign state and has the same rights as we have. In Israel, the embassies are in Tel Aviv, the ambassadors and staff and the central state institutions are in Jerusalem. Every morning the ambassadors and part of the staff come to Jerusalem and in the evening they go back. If Israel moves its capital officially to Jerusalem, will we have the Embassy in Tel Aviv? I just ask. If we move the capital to Brasov, will the foreign embassies stay in Bucharest?” Dragnea said in an interview on Antena 3 TV on Wednesday.

He added that talks on the issue in the ruling coalition are ongoing.

“I also told Mr. Tariceanu and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Meleşcanu about this and about my belief. I did not say the embassy should be relocated tomorrow, but the Foreign Ministry has to take this seriously as it has all the institutional capacity, and not only, to conduct a serious analysis. If he has serious arguments that the embassy should not be relocated there, we will give up the idea,” Dragnea said.

Romanian Ambassador, summoned by the Palestinian Authority

On Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority has summoned the Romanian ambassador for explanations after the statements made previously by Liviu Dragnea.

The Palestinian Authority firmly condemns the statements made by the Chamber of Deputies Speaker Liviu Dragnea regarding the relocation of the Romanian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, arguing that such a decision would violate the UN resolutions.

According to sources, Amal Jado, State secretary for European Affairs with the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, has expressed anger regarding the statements made by PSD leader Liviu Dragnea. The Palestinian official argued that such a decision would violate the UN resolutions, mainly resolution 478 of the UN Security Council, would be contrary to the EU position regarding the status of Jerusalem.