Moldova Monitors Middle East Situation as 15,000 Citizens Remain in Israel

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Alex Roitman, Moldova’s Ambassador to Israel, announced during a TV show that about 15,000 Moldovan citizens are currently in Israel, but only a small number of them are requesting consular assistance.

The Moldovan diplomat said that one Moldovan family managed to leave the country by land, but most people are not in a hurry to depart.

“There are discussions regarding the possible partial reopening of Ben Gurion Airport starting Monday, which gives our citizens a certain degree of comfort and reduces the pressure on them. For this reason, consular requests are very few,” Roitman noted.

The ambassador emphasized that Moldovan authorities continue to monitor the situation and provide support to all citizens in difficulty.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova reports that the security situation in the Middle East remains complex. In several countries in the region, rocket and drone attacks are ongoing, and the airspace is closed, partially open, or otherwise affected.

According to information confirmed by the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Moldova, there are no reported deaths or injuries among Moldovan citizens in the monitored states.

According to MFA data, in the State of Israel the airspace is closed. The security situation remains largely unchanged, with periodic rocket and drone attacks. Citizens of the Republic of Moldova are urged to follow the measures established by Israeli authorities and to remain in rocket shelters until the official announcement of the end of the alert.

At the same time, the Administration for Foreign Workers in Israel informed the Embassy that foreign workers in all sectors who left Israel with a valid re-entry visa (Inter-Visa), whose validity expired or is due to expire between February 28, 2026 and March 14, 2026 inclusive, will benefit from an automatic extension of their visas until March 21, 2026 in the information systems of the Population and Immigration Authority. The extension is granted automatically, without the need to submit an application. The measure applies to persons who are currently outside Israel and who left the country with a valid re-entry visa under the above conditions.

The airspace also remains closed in the State of Qatar. The security situation remains complicated, and authorities have introduced shelter-in-place measures, recommending that people remain in safe areas. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Qatar has received requests and is providing consular assistance. There are no reported deaths or injuries among Moldovan citizens.

In the United Arab Emirates, the security situation remains tense. The airspace is partially open, and some exceptional flights are being resumed depending on airline schedules. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport without prior confirmation. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in the United Arab Emirates is providing consular support, updated information, and guidance on transit options.

In the Lebanon, the airspace is partially open. The situation remains tense and may change rapidly. Citizens of the Republic of Moldova are urged to avoid non-essential travel and to closely monitor official information. No requests for assistance from Moldovan citizens have been received.

The security situation in Iran remains extremely volatile. The Azerbaijan–Iran land border remains closed for regular traffic; emergency exits are possible only through institutional coordination. According to available information, there are no Moldovan citizens currently in Iran and no evacuation requests have been received.