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Palestinian envoy to Romania has been recalled for consultations
The Palestinian envoy to Romania has been recalled in apparent protest for Romania's support of the U.S. relocating its embassy to Jerusalem, AP correspondent informs.
Romanian news agency Agerpres reported that the ambassador, Fuad Kokaly, would leave Romania Wednesday for "consultations" with Palestinian authorities.
Romania was one of four countries that recently blocked a European Union statement criticizing the U.S. for moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to contested Jerusalem on Monday. Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary also blocked the statement.
Kokaly recently criticized a Romanian government plan to relocate the country's embassy to Jerusalem, saying it would endanger the national security of Romanian citizens and violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Romania's President Klaus Iohannis, who is in charge of foreign policy, opposed the government plan.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has recalled its ambassadors to four European countries to protest their participation in a party celebrating the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
The ministry said Wednesday that its ambassadors to Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria were being called home for consultations.
The Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, strongly objected to the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The European Union objected to the embassy move. But the four European countries criticized by the Palestinians broke with EU policy to attend the celebration.
The Palestinians said they consider the participation a "grave violation of international law."