The German government on Saturday recognized the Romanian capital of Bucharest as an "open ghetto," the Israeli Social Equality Ministry announced.
Germany's recognition means over 3,000 Holocaust survivors from Bucharest are set to receive some NIS 150,000-200,000 compensation each, totaling up to NIS 450-600 million.
In addition, some 2,000 widows and widowers of Romanian-born Holocaust survivors are likely to also be eligible for compensation from the German government, the Bundesregierung.
A delegation of Social Equality and Foreign Ministries officials, headed by Social Equality and Pensions Minister Meirav Cohen, led the negotiations with Germany's Finance Ministry over the recognition of Bucharest as an "open ghetto."
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid congratulated Social Equality and Pensions Minister Meirav Cohen for the achievement, also thanking the German government for its "commitment to Holocaust survivors."
"It is our moral duty to stand by Holocaust survivors and their families and care for their quality of life," Lapid added.
עבודה משותפת של משרד החוץ והמשרד לשיוויון חברתי בהובלת השרה @cohen_meirav תעניק לאלפי ניצולים פיצוי שמגיע להם כבר שנים ארוכות. יש לכולנו צו מוסרי לעמוד לצד ניצולי השואה ומשפחותיהם ולדאוג לאיכות חייהם. תודה גם לממשלת גרמניה על מחוייבותה לניצולי השואה, שנים אחר הזוועות.
— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) November 5, 2021