According to local media and police, a foreign national was arrested in the capital of Romania on Monday after reportedly throwing a Molotov cocktail to attack the Israeli Embassy’s entrance. The incident resulted in a minor fire but no injuries.
Before police arrived at the site, antiterrorism officials from the Romanian Intelligence Service arrested a 34-year-old man, according to Bucharest police. The suspect allegedly also attempted to put himself on fire.
According to local media, the suspect is a citizen of Syria. The incident was driven by personal grudges rather than the international backdrop of Israel’s continuing conflict in the Gaza Strip, a police official informed the local news station Digi24.
In an official statement, the Israeli embassy acknowledged the event and stated that the suspect “took out a Molotov cocktail, lit it, and threw it toward the entrance door to the lobby of the building” as security authorities approached him.
In a video message made public on Monday, Israel’s envoy to Romania, Reuven Azar, denounced the event and called the suspect a “violent extremist” who is undergoing questioning by Romanian police, adding that “terrorism knows no borders.”
He declared, “I want you to know that we are safe and intact,” and that neither Romania nor Israel “will surrender to terrorism.”
The Romanian police and security services received praise from the embassy for their “quick and effective response.” According to the police, investigations are being conducted to determine the incident’s circumstances.
