Netanyahu and his government gambled on Romania's antisemitic far right and lost big time

The support offered by Israeli government ministers led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the AUR party and its candidate, George Simeon, in the elections for the highest role of the Romanian state has been transformed on Sunday into a humiliating issue, writes Israeli publication Haaretz in an analysis on possible long-term effects of diplomatic relations between Romania and Israel.

Netanyahu and his government gambled on Romania's antisemitic far right and lost big time

Likud ministers Eli Cohen and Amichai Chikli were both accused of interfering in Romania's internal affairs by bolstering the country's far-right party, which has a history of Holocaust denial, but was defeated in Sunday's presidential election

Romania's presidential election, which ended Sunday night with the victory of liberal candidate Nicosor Dan over the country's far-right leader, Gheorghe Simeon, is an event with significant implications.

Support granted by Israeli officials of the AUR party, known for anti-Semitic rhetoric and the rejection of the Holocaust, has turned into a humiliating example