The Jerusalem Post reports that it has learned that Yad Vashem had outlined four crucial expectations for any engagement with the far-right Romanian leader.
Israel’s official Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem issued an internal document outlining four essential principles for a leader of a far-right Romanian party, urging an acknowledgment of Romania’s role in the Holocaust, ahead of a meeting between far-right leader George Simion and Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar.
Simion met with Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, and Azar on Monday. Historically, Israel has hesitated in its engagements with far-right European politicians.
The meeting came amid increasing concerns over the behavior of some AUR Party members and has ignited discussions on the recognition and treatment of Holocaust narratives in current European politics, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.
The meeting drew criticism in Romania with one official calling it „a strategic mistake.”
While Yad Vashem has not publicly commented on the meeting, it conveyed its disapproval to both the foreign ministry and the Israeli ambassador to Romania, due to concerns over the behavior of certain AUR Party members.
The Jerusalem Post said it had learned that Yad Vashem previously participated in discussions about a potential visit by Simion, and had outlined four crucial expectations for any engagement with the Romanian leader.
The document shared with the Post reads, “Our embassy in Bucharest sought our perspective on the anticipated remarks of a Romanian political leader concerning the Holocaust and antisemitism.” This document delineated four essential principles for any future statement.
- First, there should be an acknowledgment and acceptance of responsibility for the Holocaust of Romanian Jews.
- Second, the Romanian-initiated and executed genocide during which hundreds of thousands of Jews perished must be addressed. This includes specific mentions of massacres led by Romanians.
- Third, a condemnation of antisemitism, acknowledgment of its existence in Romania, and the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This includes a clear denunciation of war criminals such as Ion Antonescu, who played a significant role in the Holocaust in Romania.
- Fourthly, the leader must explicitly support the Romanian government’s educational stance on the Holocaust and counter any recent dismissive remarks by party members, such as those downplaying the Holocaust as a “small matter.”
Sources within Yad Vashem revealed that Simion’s statements did not fully satisfy their outlined requirements, noting that “they only partially addressed our suggested principles.”
The only issue fully embraced by Simion was his criticism of antisemitism. However, the source also agreed that the statement was an improvement over earlier versions Yad Vashem reviewed.
Some within Likud now see potential strategic opportunities in such interactions. Together, Simion, Dagan, and Azar publicly acknowledged Romania’s role in the Holocaust and committed to countering antisemitism. Moreover, Simion unequivocally affirmed the Jewish people’s historical rights in the West Bank, areas with profound Jewish heritage, as stated in a press release by Dagan.
In Romania, there was no reaction from the government which traditionally has good relations with Israel.
However, Remus Pricopie, the rector of the National School of Political and Administrative Studies sharply criticized the meeting calling it ” a strategic mistake.”
„Unfortunately, Ambassador Azar validated a form of amnesty for extremist, xenophobic and antisemitic politicians.”
„We are faced with the regrettable decision of Ambassador Azar which raises questions about his capacity to objectively identify the risk of escalation, even encouraging radical, xenophobic and antisemitic manifestations.
