Romania's conservative party acknowledges country's role in Holocaust
The position expressed by Simion marks a drastic u-turn, after his party declared in 2022 that the Holocaust was a 'minor subject'
George Simion, the conservative right-wing leader who chairs the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, met Yossi Dagan, Chairman of the Samaria Regional Council, and Israel's Ambassador to Romania, Reuven Azar, on Monday.
During the meeting, Simion publicly acknowledged Romania's role in the Holocaust and pledged to fight antisemitism. He also expressed his unequivocal support for the historic right of the Jewish people "to live and build settlements in Judea and Samaria, areas with deep Jewish historical roots.
This historic announcement by the AUR party, which, according to the polls, could form the next Romanian government, is the result of Dagan's efforts over the last six months with Simion, under the auspices of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
According to an AUR press release, "the party leader acknowledged Romania's responsibility for the Holocaust of Romanian Jews, in the territories controlled by Romania during the Second World War, and expressed his deepest regrets." He added that "such horrors should never again befall Jews, Romanians, Roma or any other nation in the world."
Simion added that every country, including Romania, should adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism "and teach, as part of the national history subject, this important page of the past, to ensure that all future generations are aware of the lack of humanity of that time and why it is vital to avoid such horrors."
The statement adds that, as Orthodox Christians, "Romanians have a powerful link with the Holy Land and Jerusalem, the heart of Judaism and Christianity." It concludes by pointing out that "the parties discussed and agreed on the historic right of the Jewish people to build and live in communities and cities in Judea and Samaria, the cradle of the history of the Jewish people since biblical times."
Commenting on this development, Dagan noted, "Our relentless fight against BDS and anti-Semitism continues. We appreciate allies like George Simion, who are determined to fight anti-Semitism and support Israel's strategic interests."
He added that Romania's position could represent a turning point in the EU's policy towards Israel and the fight against the boycott of the Jewish state.
The position expressed by Simion marks a drastic u-turn, after his party declared in 2022 that the Holocaust was a "minor subject," and that teaching it as a separate subject in schools was the result of "ideology" and a "systemic action aimed at undermining the quality of education in Romania."
These statements were described as "insulting" by the Israeli ambassador at the time, David Saranga, and prompted the Likud party to ban its deputies from having any contact with the AUR party, which was deemed antisemitic.