Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met with his Moldovan counterpart Mihai Popșoi on Tuesdayas Tel Aviv opened its first ever embassy in Chisinau.
“This is a historic moment that marks a milestone in the relationship between our two countries. Moldova is a friendly country to Israel. Our policy will be to strengthen our relationships with our allies. Today, we are upgrading our relationship and doing so with great joy,” the Israeli foreign minister said.
Israel officially recognized Moldova’s independence during the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union and the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. Moldova has had an embassy in Israel in 1994 and Israel has had a non-resident ambassador to Moldova.
Sa’ar decided to open the embassy in December 2024 and it was officially inaugurated in January.
“After Hamas’ murderous attack on October 7th, the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust, Moldova stood by our side. Moldova condemned the evil Hamas barbarism and clearly recognized Israel’s basic right to self-defense,” Sa’ar stated.
“This morning, we witnessed yet another example of the relentless attacks against Israel—another brutal terror attack against our people in the Jordan Valley,” he added.
Sa’ar mentioned attempts to delegitimize Israel in international bodies: “Our enemies failed to defeat us on the battlefield, so they turned to public diplomacy and legal warfare in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the Jewish state.
“Israel supports Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Israel considers Moldova an important friend in Europe.”
He said that the “name Chișinău is etched in Jewish memory. We have not forgotten the pogroms that took place here in 1903 against the Jews who lived in this city. We have not forgotten what happened here during the Holocaust. We will never forget. Because we lacked the ability to defend ourselves, the Jewish people today are far smaller in number than they could have been. We have learned the lessons of history. The Jewish people must have the right and the capability to defend themselves!
“We appreciate the fact that Moldova has acknowledged this painful chapter in our history and has taken steps to ensure that these events are not forgotten and that the lessons of the past continue to be taught.
The minister will also visit the Jewish community there and lay a wreath in memory of the victims of the Holocaust in the Chisinau ghetto, which is the Moldovan capital.
