Talks between Israel and Moldova regarding a temporary terminal for Uman-bound travelers have broken down, forcing Israel to seek alternative routes, with Romania now being considered as the primary option.
According to a News 12 report by Eli Hirschman, Israel had agreed to finance and establish a temporary terminal in Chisinau, Moldova, to accommodate the large influx of passengers traveling to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. The plan was meant to handle approximately 50 incoming and 50 outgoing flights. Moldova, however, introduced a new demand requiring that all equipment purchased by Israel for the project remain in Moldova permanently, without any commitment to reuse it for future years.
Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, direct travel to Uman is not possible, making neighboring countries the only viable options. Following a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office with former minister Meir Porush, Israel initially agreed to fund the terminal, which was to be set up in a parking lot adjacent to Chisinau’s airport. Moldova’s original conditions included an estimated cost of 8 million shekels to prepare the site, the presence of 90 Israeli aviation security officers, 24 Israeli police officers, and 50 translators, along with a comprehensive supply of equipment such as tents, signage systems, luggage handling tools, surveillance cameras, communication and power networks, fire safety equipment, air conditioning units, and portable restrooms.
The unexpected demand to keep all the Israeli-purchased equipment, coupled with Moldova’s refusal to guarantee future use for Uman pilgrims, led to the collapse of the agreement.
With the Moldova plan shelved, Israel is now weighing Romania as a practical alternative. Unlike Moldova, Romanian authorities have not insisted on constructing a temporary terminal or acquiring special equipment. Their sole condition is the presence of translators to assist the thousands of Israeli travelers.
Nonetheless, this route presents challenges. Travelers would face lengthy overland journeys after landing in Romania, and in order to reach Uman they would still need to cross through Moldova before entering Ukraine—raising concerns that Moldovan authorities could create further complications.
{Matzav.com Israel}
