On 28 October, despite international opposition, Israeli lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to approve two bills that essentially ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East from operating in Israel and severely restrict its activities in Gaza and the West Bank, due to certain staff members’ direct ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups.
Reflecting the way the mainstream in the EU confronts the ongoing Gaza crisis, its outgoing foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has once again taken a hard line on Israel, proposing a suspension of EU–Israel political dialogue over humanitarian concerns. Known for his blunt criticisms of Israel, Borrell’s latest move aligns with his stance that the EU must hold Israel accountable, yet it may also be his last major act on the issue as he prepares to step down, making way for Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
In a recent interview with The Jerusalem Post, Israeli Ambassador to Hungary Yacov Hadas-Handelsman argued that as opposed to its frequent portrayal as an anti-democratic and antisemitic country, the reality about Hungary is quite different. He highlighted the Orbán government’s steadfast support of Israel at international forums and the fact that Hungary is one of the safest countries in the world for Jewish people.
On the evening of 7 November 2024, following a UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Israeli football fans were subjected to violent attacks by pro-Palestinian assailants. The incidents resulted in at least ten injuries, with three individuals reported missing. Videos circulating on social media depict attackers wielding knives, clubs, and vehicles, while shouting anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian slogans.
The new legislation that bans UNRWA from Israel follows extensive debates within the country. Members of the Knesset in favour of the ban have pointed out a disconnect between UNRWA’s mission and the agency’s actual impact. Israeli officials have described UNRWA’s operations in Gaza as ‘rotten’, underscoring doubts about the agency’s ability to provide impartial and effective services while the agency has long become corrupt, involved in the spread of radical ideas and terrorism.
The 18 September resolution doesn’t mention Hamas’ brutal incursion into Israel on 7 October or the 101 hostages that are still being held captive in Gaza. It also conspicuously avoids mention of the continuing Palestinian attacks on Israel. Hungary was one of the fourteen nations that voted against the resolution that holds Israel solely responsible for the conflict.
A recent The Wall Street Journal’s editorial argues that UNIFIL, the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in operation since 1978, has been allowing Hezbollah to stockpile weapons and build up infrastructure in southern Lebanon, the very place UNIFIL is supposed to keep safe from terror groups.
‘Donald Trump’s ‘‘peace through strength’’ strategy had given the impression that he was stronger than his opponent in foreign policy, especially since no new wars were initiated under his presidential term. Harris, on the other hand, has been desperately attempting to prove that she can offer the kind of muscular leadership expected by Americans from their commander in chief.’
‘In Hungary, the welcome and the love that the state of Israel gets are very different. So is the intolerance of the intolerance, which is the most important thing, because you don’t have to agree with everything I say, but the fact is that you are not tolerating intolerance. If you are letting the violent people enjoy their free speech, like it happened in Berkeley, you are preventing the freedom of speech of the people who were not violent…And I think on that issue, Hungary got it right.’
The panellists discussed a wide variety of topics related to the war in Israel at the second International Por-Israel Summit hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights, including the ICC arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Iran’s role in the conflict, and the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential election as well.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.