On 18 September 2024 the 35th anniversary of the re-establishment of Israeli–Hungarian diplomatic relations was celebrated. In its Facebook post marking the occasion, the Israeli Embassy in Hungary stated: ‘Hard times show true friends.’ Indeed, ever since 7 October, when the worst single act against Jewish people since the Holocaust occurred as Hamas murdered and tortured around 1,200 civilians and kidnapped around 240 hostages in the most brutal ways, the Hungarian government and Jewish communities, along with thousands of ordinary Hungarians, have shown full support of and solidarity with the State of Israel and the Jewish people in a number of ways. In this article we recall some of the most influential statements, actions, visits, and protests of solidarity.
On 7 October at 11:05 am, just a few hours after horrifying news started to come to light about the scale of Hamas’s attack, Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Prime Minister, tweeted: ‘We strongly condemn the brutal attack against #Israel, and unequivocally support Israel’s right to self-defence. I would like to express my sympathy and condolences to Prime Minister @netanyahu . Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Israel in these dark hours.’
On 9 October, two days after Black Shabbat, the Center for Fundamental Rights, in perfect timing, organized the first International pro-Israel Summit in Hungary, Budapest, where Chief of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás highlighted: ‘Hard times show true friends’ and ‘joining forces is the most important thing in the current situation, meaning that the coalition behind Israel must be strong’; he described the Hamas attacks on Israel as ‘brutal’ and ‘incompatible with human existence’ and expressed ‘maximum solidarity’ with Israel.
As Hamas Called a ‘World Jihad Day’, the Hungarian Government Banned Anti-Israeli Protests
Minister Gulyás’s warning that terrorists could come to Europe from Gaza unless the EU’s borders are protected soon became a reality as Hamas called for a ‘holy war’ for 13 October 2023, dubbed a ‘World Jihad Day’ or ‘Day of Rage’. Following this threat, people worldwide were advised to avoid going to crowded places or even going out at all. By contrast, there was no reason for Jewish Hungarians to hide or be scared on 13 October as Prime Minister Orbán announced that Hungary would not allow any rallies supporting Hamas or any other terrorist organization, because ‘all Hungarian citizens should feel safe, regardless of their faith or origin’. It is thanks to this clear stance that not only Hungarian Jewish people don’t have to live in fear in their country, but also Israeli refugees can find safety, comfort and relief in Hungary.
After 7 October, a former Communist holiday resort on the scenic shore of Lake Balaton was converted into a Jewish kosher refugee camp named Machne Chabad. The kosher rescue camp was established by EMIH, the Chabad-affiliated Jewish Federation of Hungary, as a safe haven for Israeli Jews who wanted to escape with their families from the horrors of war. The camp houses around 250 people, including 100 children, most of whom have fled from Israel since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
‘The mourning and grief of the Jewish community is shared by Hungarian society’
Although two days after 7 October Hungarian EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi announced that all payments from the development programme for Palestinians would be immediately suspended, all projects put under review, all new budget proposals postponed until further notice in the EU, the EU within hours reversed the announcement and stated that it won’t entirely stop its funding for the Palestinians. Since 7 October Olivér Várhelyi has been the sane voice in Europe advocating for and establishing an extended screening and vetting system to ensure that EU funding to the Palestinian Authority does not go to beneficiaries of Palestinian Prisoners Fund, detainees & families of perpetrators of terrorist attacks.
At the end of May, Várhelyi paid a solidarity visit to Israel and met with the families of hostages.
Deeply saddened by the loss & huge devastation of 7/10 in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
— Oliver Varhelyi (@OliverVarhelyi) May 29, 2024
Walking btw burnt-out homes, broken windows & bullet holes, bowed by tragedy.
Hamas has to immediately release the hostages!
If Hamas can get away w/ what they did, 7/10 could happen to anyone, anywhere. pic.twitter.com/JtUeVfizOo
During his visit, he was briefed about issues related to the Israel-Hamas war by Israel’s Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Minister Ron Dermer.
Commissioner Várhelyi has been a vocal advocate of the unconditional release of hostages ever since, and has repeatedly condemned Hamas.
On 10 October 2023 Hungarian Jewish communities united for the cause expressed their solidarity and support for Israel. Hetek, a Hungarian Christian weekly magazine, and Hit Rádió, a Hungarian Christian online radio, also organized a solidarity demonstration on 10 October at the Shoes at the Danube Bank Holocaust memorial site to stand with Israel. Over 5,000 people attended, with Yacov Hadas-Handelsman, Israeli Ambassador to Hungary, and Sándor Németh, lead pastor of Faith Church Hungary, a long-time supporter of the Jewish state delivering speeches.
On 12 October, the Dohány Street Synagogue was filled with people for a solidarity service held by rabbis of the Hungarian Jewish communities. Former Hungarian President Katalin Novák and other church leaders and governmental figures attended the service. Dr Andor Grósz, head of the Hungarian Jewish Federation MAZSIHISZ, said: ‘The mourning and grief of the Jewish community is shared by Hungarian society.’ He said the inhuman terrorist attack launched on the holiday of the Torah had not hit Israel and Jewish people only: ‘They not only took human lives but brutally violated the Ten Commandments, a gift of the Torah to mankind.’
Or Yissachar: ‘More countries should follow Hungary’s unapologetically pro-Israel stance’
On 27 November the Danube Institute held a conference titled Israel, the War and the Christian Communities in Crisis?, which brought together an international group of scholars, security experts, and religious leaders from Israel and Hungary to discuss the twin crises. Analysing the situation of Hungarian Jewry, Dr Andor Grósz said that, in his opinion, it is a very positive trend that antisemitism, unlike in other European countries and North America, has not increased drastically in Hungary as a result of the war in Israel and that members of the Jewish community can continue to live and practice their religion in peace. In his view, although there is anti-Semitism in Hungary, it is not at a worrying level, and the repercussions of the conflict have not been able to bring crowds to the streets. Or Yissachar, Head of Research at the Israel Defense and Security Forum, came to the conference not only as a guest but also as a witness, having experienced first-hand what has been happening in Israel since 7 October.
In an interview for Hungarian Conservative I conducted with Mr Yissachar he emphasized: ‘It’s inspiring to see Hungary’s unapologetically pro-Israel stance and more countries should follow this example.’ The security expert added that standing by Israel shouldn’t be complicated, and European countries shouldn’t be afraid of political correctness as there is clearly a good and evil side to what’s happened.
In the middle of December 2023, the Israeli Embassy in Hungary facilitated the visit of four Israeli citizens—Lishay Lavi, Daniel Miran, Osnat Shushan (Weiss), and Raviv Weiss—to Hungary. The purpose of their visit was to bring attention to their Israeli Hungarian relatives, Omri Miran and Ilan Weiss, who are held captive by Hamas. The hostages’ relatives met with former Hungarian President Katalin Novák, several Hungarian government officials, and Jewish representatives. The relatives spoke of their ordeal at a conference at the MERKAZ Hebrew and Israeli Cultural Centre. The families also visited Faith Church Hungary, a Hungarian evangelical Pentecostal church, to tell their story and ask for further support. State Secretary for International Communication and Relations Zoltán Kovács also met with the Israeli Hungarian hostages’ relatives and called for the release of the hostages.
Péter Szijjártó: Hungary’s Position in the Hamas–Israel War Will Not Shift
At the end of February 2024, during what he described as the EU’s most emotional debate in the last ten years at the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting on the Middle East, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, argued against sanctions targeting Israeli citizens, stating that the time was not appropriate for such measures. Péter Szijjártó declared that the primary duty of the European Union and the United Nations at this time is to prevent the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine from worsening and that Hungary is a reliable ally in that effort. Péter Szijjártó and his Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavský, denounced an EU plan to punish twelve settlers by preventing them from entering Europe. Hungary and the Czech Republic oppose the move, claiming that it would indicate the EU is equating Jewish settlers with Hamas.
During his visit to Hungary in early March Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, stated that Hungary and Israel have excellent relations, which is why Jews in Hungary can practice their faith in safety in contrast to many other European nations. In a formal meeting with Amichai Chikli, Péter Szijjártó reaffirmed Hungary’s support for Israel and stated: ‘Hungary’s position in the Hamas–Israel War will not shift. Hungary acknowledges Israel’s right to self-defence and condemns the terror attacks carried out by Hamas.’ The Hungarian foreign minister also declared: ‘We will not allow modern anti-Semitism in the future either, as it has not sprung up in Hungary, unlike a significant portion of Western European countries.’
Following the Islamic Republic of Iran’s retaliatory strike against Israel on 14 April, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed strong condemnation of Iran’s drone and missile attacks on Israel, emphasizing the grave global implications of the conflict for stability, including to Hungary’s security.
20th March of the Living Hungary: Never Again is Now
This year’s March of the Living in Budapest also honoured those murdered during Hamas’s massacre on 7 October in Israel. Head of the boards of trustees of the March of the Living Foundation, Gábor Gordon compared 7 October to a ‘Holocaust that lasted for a day’ and stressed that it’s worrying that not only in Muslim countries but also in the major cities of Western civilization, people are celebrating the murderous terrorist actions of Hamas.
The keynote speaker of the march was Davidi Ben Zion, Deputy head of the Samaria Regional Council and member of the KKL-Junk Board of Directors; in his speech presented a copy of the book Mein Kampf written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, which was found during the war in the house of a Hamas commander in Khan Yunis.
The Truth About Hamas Sexual Violence Won’t Be Silenced in Hungary
On 21 May the Danube Institute organized an event focusing on the sexual violence inflicted on Israeli citizens on 7 October. At the event Israeli Ambassador to Hungary Yacov Hadas-Handelsman, Israeli Ambassador to Hungary; Nicki, a Staff Sergeant of IDF Spokesperson’s Unit; Shirel Liberman, an Israeli influencer and the co-founder of SHIFT, a grassroots women’s group promoting the positive representation of Israel abroad; and Or Yissachar, the head of research for the Israeli Defense and Security Forum discussed these important topics.
Since anti-Israeli protests were banned in Hungary, it was shocking to witness the antisemitic hatred of the ten to fifteen pro-Palestinian demonstrators—ironically, primarily women—who, it seems, travelled more than two hours from Vienna only to sabotage this important event and silence the Israeli guests’ speeches.
The disruption of the event served as a wake-up call for Hungarians: the deep antisemitic hatred of these pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas mobs was no longer concealed, and the alarming reality of what Israelis and Jewish people are facing worldwide became tangible.
Israel Katz: ‘Hungary is a true friend of Israel’
In June Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz expressed his appreciation to Hungary in a joint press conference with his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó. ‘Hungary is a true friend of Israel. I wish the fight against anti-Semitism and the situation of Jews in Europe would be like it is here in Hungary, thanks to your leadership and politics,’ Minister Katz highlighted. The June visit was his first since he took up office; while in Hungary, he also met with President of the Republic Tamás Sulyok, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, and the leaders of the Hungarian Jewish communities. The Hungarian officials reaffirmed the country’s unwavering support for Israel during Katz’s visit.
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