ABSTRACT

The author explores the mission as Israel's ambassador to Romania, the country was not entirely unknown to me. Romania permitted the emigration of Jews from its territory to Israel within the framework of 'family unification', also making it possible for the local Jews to be organized in Jewish communities, to cultivate their religious, national, and cultural values, and maintain connections with Israel and the Jewish Diaspora, to a degree matched by none of the other communist states. Romania was a convenient country for the development of unofficial contacts between Israeli representatives and those of East European states whose diplomatic relations with Israel had been severed since the Six-Day War. Every initiative we put forward in the domain of our bilateral relations-considering the conditions of the regime-received a constructive reaction. The Romanian security services, which probably knew of them, regarded them positively and were proud that their country was serving as a suitable place to hold them.