Israel opens first embassy in Moldova: 'After October 7 attack you stood by our side'

Some 34 years after Jerusalem officially recognized Moldova's independence, an Israeli embassy opened in Chisinau. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at the ceremony:'This is a historic moment that marks a milestone in relations between the countries'; Saar laid a wreath in memory of his family at the monument to the victims of the Chisinau ghetto

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar inaugurated the Israeli embassy in Moldova Tuesday morning. "This is a historic moment that marks a milestone in relations between the countries. Moldova is a friendly country to Israel, we are upgrading our relations today and we are doing so with great joy," Saar said at a ceremony attended by Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi.
Outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Moldova, Yoel Leon, says Kaddish at a memorial to the victims of the Chisinau Ghetto in Moldova
(Video: Photo: Yossi Fons/GPO)
This is the first time Israel has opened an embassy in the Eastern European country. "After the Hamas murderers attacked on October 7, the most serious attack on Jews since the Holocaust, Moldova stood by us," Saar said at the ceremony. "You condemned Hamas' evil barbarity, you clearly recognized Israel's fundamental right to self-defense."
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שר החוץ גדעון סער חונך את שגרירות ישראל במולדובה יחד עם סגן ראש הממשלה ושר החוץ של מולדובה
שר החוץ גדעון סער חונך את שגרירות ישראל במולדובה יחד עם סגן ראש הממשלה ושר החוץ של מולדובה
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar inaugurates the Israeli Embassy in Moldova together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Mold
(צילום: שלומי אמסלם, לע״ם)
The foreign minister added: "We were also attacked by Hezbollah, the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, which is 2,000 km from our border, by militias in Syria and Iraq, and finally by the head of the snake, Iran. But we managed to defeat them. This showed the world that Israel is an anchor of strength and stability in a very dangerous and unstable region."
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place outside the new embassy area.
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הפגנה מחוץ למפגש של גדעון סער עם שר החוץ המולדובי מיהאי פופשוי
הפגנה מחוץ למפגש של גדעון סער עם שר החוץ המולדובי מיהאי פופשוי
Pro-Palestinian demonstration outside Gideon Saar's meeting with his Moldova n counterpart
After the opening of the new embassy, ​​the foreign minister continued with his counterpart to the memorial to the victims of the Chisinau Ghetto. Saar laid a wreath in memory of his family and participated in the recitation of Kaddish in memory of the victims. Saar's grandfather, David Zerchansky, left Chisinau in 1908 and moved to Argentina. His three sisters, who decided to stay in Chisinau, were killed in the Holocaust.
The wreath laid by Saar bears the names of the three sisters - Yocheved, Raizel and Rivka. In 1939, about 200,000 Jews lived in Serbia (most of which was in present-day Moldova). More than 100,000 of them were murdered in the Holocaust.
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Saar then met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. The meeting dealt with the opening of the new embassy, ​​relations between the countries, the struggle against the Iranian axis, and the war in neighboring Ukraine. The foreign minister expressed appreciation for Sandu's words against antisemitism, and invited her to visit Israel.
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שר החוץ סער הניח זר באנדרטה לזכר קורבנות גטו קישינב במהלך ביקורו במולדובה
שר החוץ סער הניח זר באנדרטה לזכר קורבנות גטו קישינב במהלך ביקורו במולדובה
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar laid a wreath at the monument commemorating the victims of the Chisinau Ghetto during his visit to Moldova
( Photo: Shlomi Amsalem/GPO)
In his meeting with the president, Saar addressed the situation in Syria. "The new government in Damascus is made up of jihadists and Islamists. It is currently focused on the economy, governance and legitimacy from the world, and therefore is currently speaking softly. This happened with many Islamist movements that came to power, including Khomeini's revolution in Iran in 1979. But it would be advisable to monitor its activities closely.
"What is clear is that Turkey has the greatest influence on it. The most important thing for us is maintaining our security. The Iranian threat is the most urgent. It is important to pay attention to Turkey's actions in the region. Turkey is currently the most dominant country in Syria, it aspires to be the leader of Sunni Islam in the region."
Israel officially recognized Moldova's independence in 1991. A year later, diplomatic relations between the countries were established and since 1994 Moldova has had an embassy in Israel. Over the years, Israel has had a non-resident ambassador to Moldova. In December, Saar made the decision to open an embassy in the country for the first time.
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