October 8, 2023 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 08.10.2023, 20:00

ATTACKS IN ISRAEL – Israel’s Security Council has declared a state of war
following the attacks launched by the Palestinian military group Hamas,
allowing this country to take significant military steps, the Prime
Minister’s office announced on Sunday. The war, which has killed hundreds of
people on both sides following Saturday’s attacks staged by Hamas, followed by
Israeli retaliations, was triggered by a terrorist criminal attack from Gaza.
As fighting continues, Israel decided to cut off supplies of electricity, fuel
and goods to the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah
launched mortar fire from southern Lebanon, while the Israeli forces responded
with artillery fire. Palestinian groups also operate in southern Lebanon,
although the area is control by the Hezbollah Shiite militias. Hezbollah boasts
a considerable missile arsenal threatening northern Israel, as well as seasoned
fighters who fought in the war in Syria on the side of president Bashar
al-Assad.

ROMANIANS IN ISRAEL – In the context of the escalation of the security context
in Israel and the Gaza Strip, the Romanian Foreign Ministry is coordinating
with the Romanian Embassies in Tel Aviv and Amman and is monitoring a group of
92 Romanians who arrived in Israel from Jordan, calling for assistance with a
view to getting back home. At the same time, a mobile consular team will be
deployed to Tel Aviv to support the activity of the local Embassy and Romania’s
representative office in Ramallah. 346 Romanian and foreign citizens were
transported to Romania onboard two flights operated by the national airline
TAROM, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced. Meanwhile, Wizz Air has
cancelled all flights in and out of Tel Aviv for Sunday, announcing they would
reschedule the trips or provide refunds and accommodation to passengers. Wizz
Air recommends people should contact their travel agents or check online platforms
to modify their already-booked tickets. Bucharest firmly condemned the attacks
of Hamas. In a press release, the Romanian Foreign Ministry referred to
Israel’s sovereign right to defend itself, also issuing a travel alert for this
country, advising Romanians to cancel their travels to this country, or in case
of people already on the ground, to follow instructions from local authorities,
take shelter in buildings and leave the country when the situation allows it.

VISIT – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, currently on a visit
to Portugal, is meeting Prime Minister António Costa, Assembly Speaker Augusto
Santos Silva and members of Parliament on Monday. On Saturday, Klaus Iohannis
held talks with his Portuguese counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, focusing
on the war in Ukraine. On this occasion, president Iohannis thanked Portugal
for its substantial contribution to NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on
the Alliance’s Eastern Flank. The presence of Portuguese servicemen in Romania
is a strong expression of Portugal’s solidarity and support for strengthening
Romania’s security, the Romanian official said. In turn, president de Sousa
said his country supports Romania’s efforts to join Schengen and the OECD.

MEETING – Prime Minister
Marcel Ciolacu on Monday is leading a government delegation attending the
Romania-Bulgaria-Greece trilateral meeting in Varna, Bulgaria. The Romanian
official will also meet with his Bulgarian and Greek counterparts, Nikolai
Denkov and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, respectively. On the sidelines of the event,
the Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with the two Prime
Ministers. Members of the Romanian delegation will attend panels on regional
security and energy and transport cooperation. (VP)