Romanian president blasts PM’s ‘ignorance’ over Jerusalem embassy announcement

Hours after Viorica Dăncilă announced that Romania would transfer its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Romania’s president claimed he retains authority to make that decision.

By Associated Press and World Israel News Staff

On Sunday, leaders from Romania and Honduras announced that their nations will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move their embassies to the city, following the lead of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Just hours after Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă made the announcement at the AIPAC pro-Israel lobby annual policy conference in Washington, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, a government rival who’s in charge of the East European nation’s foreign policy, said the prime minister hadn’t consulted with him over the decision.

He accused Dăncilă of “complete ignorance regarding foreign affairs,” according to a statement quoting him tweeted by Romanian AFP reporter Ionut Iordachescu, who also tweeted that Iohannis commented, “The final decision about moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem rests with me.”

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez also announced his nation’s intention to move its embassy to Jerusalem and officially recognize the city as Israel’s capital.

Previously, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the U.S. Embassy to the city, a move that was applauded by Israel. Guatemala followed suit.

The move angered the Palestinians, who have maintained a complete boycott of all Trump officials, remaining steadfast in their commitment to pay terrorists who maim and murder Israeli civilians in defiance of American and Israeli laws that proscribe the policy.