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Bulgaria: Israel’s Friend That You Didn’t Know About

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Photo: Pexels.

In these challenging times, Bulgaria remains a key strategic partner for Israel in southeastern Europe. In July 2023, President Rumen Radev emphasized this by stating, “There exists a genuine sense of friendship and understanding between the peoples of the two countries based on deep cultural and historical ties, active partnership and mutual trust.”

Bulgaria has a history of low antisemitism, and has consistently supported the Jewish people. Its saving of the Bulgarian Jews during World War II was an unprecedented act that sealed the bond between Bulgaria and the Jewish people for eternity. At the time, Bulgarian politicians from across the political spectrum, members of Parliament led by Dimitar Peshev, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, writers, lawyers, doctors, artists, journalists, and many other prominent public figures stood up for their fellow Jewish citizens and opposed the government’s plan to deport them.

As a result, all of Bulgaria’s pre-war Jewish community who lived within the country’s borders — nearly 50,000 Jews — remained alive. A total of 11,343 Jews living in Bulgarian-occupied territories in Macedonia and Thrace were deported to concentration camps, with the participation of Bulgarian authorities.

After 1948, most Bulgarian Jews left Soviet-allied Bulgaria and immigrated to Israel. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, Bulgarian Jews constituted 5% of all new immigrants in the 1948-1954 period. They created a living bridge between Bulgaria and Israel that has lasted for decades and should continue for many years to come.

Following the October 7, 2023 terrorist atrocities, Bulgaria demonstrated strong institutional support for Israel. The government condemned Hamas’s terrorist attack and expressed unwavering support for Israel. The National Assembly building was illuminated with the colors of the Israeli flag as a sign of solidarity. Bulgaria granted permission to Israeli citizens to fly to Israel and use the same planes to return without any restrictions, and at no additional cost. A “Prayer for Peace” was held at Sofia Central Synagogue that was attended by the president, the chairman of the National Assembly, and other high-ranking officials, along with leaders and members of all religious faiths, ruling majority members, and ambassadors.

In October 2023, the National Assembly approved a strong declaration in support of Israel, with no opposing votes. In November, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, reaffirming Bulgaria’s full support for Israel and belief in Israel’s right to self-defense. A group of Bulgarian MPs visited Kfar Aza, Sderot, and the Shura military base to witness the aftermath of the October 7 massacre firsthand.

Bulgaria continued to stand by Israel in the following months. Pro-Palestinian rallies were banned by the authorities due to their indirect support for the terrorist organization Hamas. As antisemitism surged in the rest of Europe in the wake of October 7, its manifestations in Bulgaria have been limited to occasional hate speech on social media. Bulgarian universities have adhered to sound academic practices and provided a platform for Israeli voices to be heard.

On April 5, 2024, the UN Human Rights Council adopted an anti-Israel resolution condemning Israel for the war in Gaza, opposing its right to defend itself, and demanding that it be subjected to an arms embargo. Bulgaria was one of six countries, including the United States and Germany, that voted against the resolution. This was a strong demonstration that Bulgaria continues to be one of Israel’s most dependable global partners.

Economic and trade relations

Bulgaria and Israel cooperate in many fields, including politics, economics, strategic issues, culture, innovation, cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and environmental protection. Many Israeli companies have offices in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian-Israeli trade and economic relations are founded on a robust bilateral legal framework established in the 1990s and strengthened by agreements such as the 2009 Economic Cooperation Agreement, the 2012 Agreement for Bilateral Cooperation in Industrial Research and Development, and the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism, regarding defense industry cooperation. Israel recently ratified the Agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Water, which is expected to take effect immediately.

In recent years, bilateral trade has grown and diversified. In 2022, Israeli exports to Bulgaria totaled $62.8 million, including copper scrap, non-woven fabrics, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, polymers, plastic elements, and fertilizers. In the same year, Israel imported $320 million worth of goods from Bulgaria, including petroleum oils, wheat, rye, barley, starch, plastic elements, passenger cars, and chemical elements. By the end of 2023, Israeli investments in Bulgaria amounted to €298.1 million, according to the Bulgarian National Bank.

Tourism

Tourism traditions between Bulgaria and Israel are longstanding. Israelis are warmly welcomed in Bulgaria, and the number of Israeli tourists has been steadily increasing. This positive trend was unaffected by Hezbollah’s terrorist attack on Israelis on July 18, 2012, at Burgas Airport in Sarafovo.

In 2022, more than 174,000 Israeli tourists visited Bulgaria compared to 54,342 the previous year, according to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Direct flights between Tel Aviv and Sofia are operated by six companies, varying by season. Israelis are drawn to Bulgaria’s natural beauty, rich history, warm hospitality, and cuisine. Popular destinations for Israeli tourists include Sofia, Nessebar, Varna, Bansko, Samokov, Borovets and Plovdiv. At the same time, Israel is a favored destination for pilgrims from Christian-majority Bulgaria.

In January 2023, the tourism ministers of Bulgaria and Israel, Ilin Dimitrov and Haim Katz, respectively, signed an agreement in Sofia to enhance cooperation in specific tourism sectors, such as spa and wellness, adventure, cultural-historical, and religious tourism.

Why strong ties with Bulgaria are important

Bulgaria is an important ally for Israel in the Balkans, especially after the deterioration in Israeli-Turkish relations over the ongoing war in Gaza. In 2023, Bulgaria and Turkey celebrated the 100th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. They enjoy good neighborly relations and are NATO allies. Turkey is Bulgaria’s largest non-EU trading partner, with trade between the two countries exceeding €7 billion in 2022. Bilateral tourism is also significant. Bulgaria supports Turkey’s EU membership bid and is often referred to as “Turkey’s gateway to Europe.”

When regional and global challenges arise, Bulgaria and Turkey look to each other for mutual support. After Russia cut gas supplies to EU nations via Ukraine, the two countries cooperated to ensure the energy security of southeastern Europe, with Turkey playing a crucial role thanks to its LNG terminals. Bulgaria is in the middle of several EU energy corridors and has its own extensive network of gas pipelines. This positions Bulgaria as an important transit country for potential pipelines that could transport non-Russian gas to eastern as well as central Europe, which would help Europe reduce its dependency on Russia.

On May 2, Turkey’s trade ministry announced that it was freezing all trade with Israel due to the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (Trade turnover between Israel and Turkey amounted to over $7 billion in 2023.) To bypass these restrictions and maintain the flow of Turkish goods to Israel, importers are considering routes through European countries like Bulgaria and Romania.

Bulgaria, a co-founder of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), has been active in its development and regional cooperation efforts. Initiated by Turkey, BSEC has grown into a significant international organization that works to enhance regional economic integration. Bulgaria values BSEC’s economic cooperation, seeing it as vital for regional development with substantial trade and energy potential across two continents.

Since Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007, BSEC’s scope has expanded, integrating EU member states, strategic partners, candidate countries, and partner countries. Key priorities include energy and transport infrastructure, security, and the adoption of European democratic norms.

Bulgaria supports various strategic projects, including major pipelines and transport links, to enhance regional cooperation. Overall, BSEC has proven to be a successful framework for regional cooperation. Bulgaria remains dedicated to fostering synergy between BSEC and the EU, contributing to the region’s prosperity and stability.

Given these factors, Bulgaria could serve as a catalyst for the fostering of closer ties between Israel and BSEC member countries. It could also serve as a mediator between Israel and Turkey when those states are ready for a rapprochement. Additionally, Bulgaria could serve as a gateway to Israel for other Balkan countries, allowing them to replace Turkey’s significance for Israel in an assortment of sectors and strengthen their ties with Israel.

Prof. Efrat Aviv is a senior researcher at the BESA Center and an associate professor in the Department of History and at Bar-Ilan University. Dr. Petar Stoilov is a researcher at the University Center for Regional Studies and Analyses at Sofia University, “St. Kliment Ohridski”.  A version of this article was originally published by The BESA Center.

The post Bulgaria: Israel’s Friend That You Didn’t Know About first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War

Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.

Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.

“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”

GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’

Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.

“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.

“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.

“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.

After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”

RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL

Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”

Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.

“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”

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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests

A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco

Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.

People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.

“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”

Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.

On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.

Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.

On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.

“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.

Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.

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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan

Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.

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