Introduction
Israel and Romania hold close diplomatic, economic, military and cyber relations. It is estimated that Israel has sold Romania over $1 billion weaponry over the past 25 years. The deals list includes among others drones, missiles, vehicles and surveillance technologies. Israeli arms and cyber companies have extensive presence in Romania with subsidiaries, factories and offices in Romania.
Israel – Romania Relations
Romania recognized Israel in 1948 and was the only Soviet country to maintain relations after 1967.[1]Romania: Palestinians should recognize Israel as Jewish state Romania has a long history of cooperation and agreements with Israel, including both exports and imports of arms.
Official visits between the Government of Romania and the Government of Israel were conducted in 2011 and 2014.[2]Meeting between the Governments of Israel and Romania In 2016 Romanian president Klaus Werner Iohannis made an official visit to Israel and met the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. They discussed the deepening of bilateral ties in security, cyber and energy.[3]PM Netanyahu Meets with Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis
At the end of 2020, the total volume of trade between the countries was € 570.15 million.[4]Romania and Israel to Cooperate in the Natural Gas Sector By November 2021 it was reportedly approaching €1billion.[5]Volume of goods and services trade between Romania, Israel nearing 1B euro As of March 2021, 8298 Israeli companies, with a total value of € 64.04 million, were operating in Romania.
In 2021, the countries reported seeking to extend that cooperation to include the national gas industry.[6]Romania and Israel to Cooperate in the Natural Gas Sector
Military Relations
Prior to the dissolution of the USSR, Romania had a robust defense industry, which declined during the 1990s.[7]Arms industry in Romania Its arms exports to Israel quadrupled from 2003 to 2010, reaching € 11 million by 2012. In this year Israel was the 3rd largest client of Romaniaäs arms export [8]Romanian-Israeli Arms Trade and Military Relations
Israel has a military attache in Bucharest, Romania.[9]Sibat Defense Directory 2013-2014
It is estimated that Israel has sold Romania over $1 billion weaponry over the past 25 years.[10]Romania Looks Set to Be First European Country to Buy Israel’s Iron Dome
During a 2022 visit to Israel by Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu, he expressed Romania’s interest in purchasing the Iron Dome system. It is unclear if this is related to the agreement reported in 2018 for purchase of Iron Dome, perhaps pending final approval by the United States, which is a defacto joint partner in the production of Iron Dome.[11]Romania Looks Set to Be First European Country to Buy Israel’s Iron Dome In that same visit, Dincu expressed his country’s desire for improved military & security cooperation with Israel, including joint military maneuvers between the two countries, and improved cooperation with between Romania’s security services and both Mossad and Shin Bet.[12]Romania Looks Set to Be First European Country to Buy Israel’s Iron Dome
Most remarkable is the extensive presence of Israeli military company Elbit in the country. Elbit is operating in Romania since the 1990s.[13]Elbit Systems Inaugurates a Land Systems Integration and Production Facility in Romania Elbit has four wholly Romanian-owned subsidiaries: Elbit System S.A., A-E Electronics S.A, Elmet International SRL and Simultec SRL.[14]Romanian-Israeli Arms Trade and Military Relations In 2011 Elbit was awarded a contract valued at approximately $18.6 million to upgrade the Romanian Air Forces’ C-130 transport aircraft. The project was conducted in cooperation with local Romanian companies led by the Romanian Aeronautical Industries.[15]Romanian-Israeli Arms Trade and Military Relations In 2018 Elbit inaugurated a Land Systems engineering and manufacturing facility near Bucharest that operates as a production and integration center for Elbit’s turrets and weapon stations that are contracted in local programs and for demand from other countries.[16]Elbit Systems Inaugurates a Land Systems Integration and Production Facility in Romania In 2022 Simultec Magurele (Elbit alongside Elmet and AE Electronics), the Romanian subsidiary of Elbit, was selected to supply flight simulators for Helicopters for a country in the Asia-Pecific region.[17]Elbit Systems Romanian unit Simultec to deliver flight simulators to Asia-Pacific country
In 2018 the Israeli company Rafael and Romanian’s Romaero signed a cooperation agreement to produce air defense and other weapon systems for the Romanian Armed Forces. The deal included the development of sea-borne version of the Iron-Dome defense systyem, Samson Remote Control Weapons Systems and Spike tactical missiles.[18]Israeli, Romanian defense contractors sign cooperation deal for Iron Dome
In 2021 Elbit signed an agreement to manufacture Watchkeeper drones, based on Hermes drones, in Romania for the Romanian Armed Forces in a joint venture with Romania’s Aerostar.[19]Elbit signs agreement to manufacture Watchkeeper drones in Romania [20]The Romanian Army will be equipped with Watchkeeper X. The drones are “combat proven” and can also identify Russian submarines in the Black Sea
In 2022 Romania signed the deal to acquire seven Watchkeeper X UAVs from Elbit for $408 million. Under the five-year deal, Elbit Systems will transfer some of the systems’ production, testing and maintenance to Romanian defence firms.[21]Romania to buy Watchkeeper X surveillance systems from Elbit Systems In January 2023 Rafael and the Romanian company STARC4SYS SRL made a contract to upgrade communication systems of the Romanian Navy.[22]Rafael to upgrade the communications system of the Romanian Navy
In 2022, said Reuven Ayar, the Ambassador of Israel in Bucharest to AGERPRES National Press Agency: “What is unique about this relationship is that, unlike other countries, Israel does co-production with Romania. We don’t just sell, we cooperate in the field of technology, we do co-production. And every system that comes from Israel has been tested in combat conditions, comes with training, with methodology and it’s very particular. Israel is a different state from the rest, in the sense that we don’t sell large platforms, but we have advantages in specific fields – cyber, electronic warfare, anti-missile defense, aeronautics,”.[23]INTERVIEW/Israel’s Ambassador:Unique relationship in the field of security with Romania, a country seen stable, secure by Israelis
Joint Training
In 2003 an agreement for military aerial cooperation was signed between the Romanian Air Force and the Israeli Air Force.[24]Israeli Training in Romania In 2004 the Israeli Air Force started official trainings in Romania.[25]Israeli Training in Romania
2010 – during a joint Romanian-Israeli aviation military exercise named “Blue Sky 2010” an Israeli Air Force helicopter crashed in the Carpathian Mountain, 7 people died.[26]‘Bodies found’ as Israeli helicopter crashes in Romania
2011 – Joint Air Force Training in Romania.[27]Israel Air Force Returns to Romania
2018 – Romanian Police officers of the Gendarmerie were trained by the Israeli Border Police in Romania.[28]Israeli Border Police trains Romanian Police
2022 – “Blue Sky 2022” joint Romanian-Israeli Air Force exercise in Romania.[29]Beyond Border: “BLUE SKY” Exercise in Romania
Arms Fairs
2016 – Black Sea Defense and Aerospace – BSDA 2018 in Bucharest, Romania. Israeli arms companies that participated: Elbit Systems, Ceragon Networks, ECI Telecom.[30]BSDA – Black Sea Defense and Aerospace
2018 – Black Sea Defense and Aerospace – BSDA 2018 in Bucharest, Romania. Israeli arms companies that participated: Elbit Systems, Rafael, Aeronautics.[31]BSDA – Black Sea Defense and Aerospace
2022 – Black Sea Defense and Aerospace – BSDA 2022 in Bucharest, Romania. Israeli arms companies that participated: Elbit Systems, Rafael, Vidisco, Beth-El Industries and Amicell.[32]BSDA 2022 Exhibitor List [33]BSDA Exhibitor List- wayback machine
Cyber Relations
In 2016, Romania and Israel organized the “Romania – Israel Cyber Security Forum in Bucharest, Romania.[34]2016 Romania – Israel Cyber Security Forum 15 Israeli cyber companies participated in the forum, including IAI, Check Point and Verint Systems.[35]2016 Romania – Israel Cyber Security Forum
Another joint cybersecurity forum was organized in 2019.[36]ROMANIA-ISRAEL CYBERSECURITY FORUM During the forum, Israel and Romania signed an MoU on cyber security cooperation.[37]Romania – Israel Memorandum of Understanding on cyber security cooperation
In 2019 Cybureau S.R.L, the Israeli-Romanian Cyber Empowerment Center was established.[38]CyBureau S.R.L
In 2020 Israel and Romania organized “CybeRomania: Israel-Romania G2G (Government to Government) Dialogue” during the HLS & Cyber Conference 2020.[39]HLS & Cyber Conference 2020
In 2021 Representatives from Romania took part in an Israeli Homeland Security and Cyber Conference, in which companies as IAI Elta, Sightec, BlueBird Aero Systems, General Robotics, Magal Security and Smart Shooter participated.[40]Homeland Security and Cyber conference [41]HLS & CYBER SECURITY – AN IMPROVATE BUSINESS EVENT
Also in 2021, IAI has signed an agreement of cooperation with the Romanian defense company IAR-Brasov to offer advanced UAV solutions, based on IAI’s Heron UAVs. The UAV systems will be manufactured in Brasov, Romania and IAI will establish an academy to train the system operators and technicians in Romania.[42]IAI Partners With IAR-Brasov For UAV Solutions
In 2022 three delegations of Israeli “Home Land Security” companies met government officials, senior defense industry officials, military, police and security commanders, senior aviation and maritime officials in Romania.The delegation was marketed as a big opportunity because of “the current geopolitical situation in Ukraine”.[43]HLS & CYBER SECURITY BUSINESS DELEGATION ROMANIA & BULGARIA [44]Improvate Delegations Archive
Black Cube – was used to spy in 2016 on Laura Kodruta Kovesi, Romanian anti-corruption prosecutor at that time and as to 2022 EPPO chief prosecutor.[45]Europe Parliament : Pegasus and surveillance spyware [46]3 Israelis from Black Cube intel firm given suspended sentence in Romania Black Cube bills itself as a “select group of veterans from Israeli elite intelligence units,” and its website listed former Mossad director Meir Dagan, who died in 2016, as its honorary president.[47]3 Israelis from Black Cube intel firm given suspended sentence in Romania
BriefCam – Romanian company ELKO Romania distributes surveillance technologies by the Israeli company BriefCam since March 2022.[48]ELKO Romania provides advanced analysis and investigation solutions with the help of Axis, Milestone and BriefCam
Cellebrite – Romania is an official customer of Cellebrite’s forensic software technologies. In 2022 Romania purchased Cellebrite’s technology for a National Police division.[49]Ted Europe Romania-București: Computer upgrade services
Cognyte – the Israeli company holds offices in Romania with an average number of 115 employees.[50]The software developer Cognyte Romania, with a turnover of 7 million euros in 2021, is looking to recruit 33 specialists for the office in Bucharest. The company increased its business by 36% in 2021
Senstar Technologies (Magal Security Systems) – opened a software development branch in Timisoara, Romania.[51]Israeli security solutions provider Senstar opens branch in Romania
Usage of Israeli Arms
Uzi – in use by Romanian Military Police.[52] Details with the uniform of a Romanian Military Police soldier, armed with a Micro Uzi [53]Romania Army, National Security and Defense Policy Handbook Volume 1
Wolf Armoured Vehicle – In use by Military Police.[54]Romania Army, National Security and Defense Policy Handbook Volume 1
LAROM – in use by Romanian Military since 2002.[55]LAROM Multiple launch rocket system
Sandcat – In 2013 a Sandcat armored vehicle operated by the Romanian Gendarmery, produced by Plasan, was spotted in a Romanian military parade.[56]Romanian Gendarmery Plasan Sand Cat armored vehicle – December 1st, Parade on Romania’s National Day
Human Rights Violations
Significant human rights issues in Romania in 2021 included credible reports of: cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; widespread serious official corruption; lack of investigation and accountability for genderbased violence, including but not limited to domestic and intimate partner violence and sexual violence; and abuses targeting institutionalized persons with disabilities.[57]ROMANIA 2021 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
There have been documentation of police brutality, mistreatment of the Romani minority, government corruption, poor prison conditions, and compromised judicial independence.[58]Romania human rights report Human rights organizations reported cases of police violating basic human rights as well as generally inhumane and degrading treatment in penitentiaries. The traffic of persons and especially of women and minors has recently emerged as a serious preoccupation after a series of acquittals of criminal gangs, with sexism and bullying in schools as associated problems. The Roma communities continue to suffer from various forms of social and economic discrimination.[59]Romania Country Report 2022
In October 2021, an investigation by Lighthouse Reports exposed how authorities in Romania – as well as in other EU countries – had violently rounded up migrants and asylum seekers and summarily returned them to countries outside the EU.[60]Amnesty Romania Report 2021