The second International Pro-Israel Summit hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights took place at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, Hungary on 1 October 2024. The speeches and panels concluded before Iran’s recent missile attacks on Israel, so the speakers could not react to the latest developments.
It was Director General of the Center for Fundamental Rights Miklós Szánthó who delivered the first keynote address of the day. He started by stressing that ‘Hungary is the safest place in Europe for Jewish people,’ which, he believes, is in great part thanks to the Hungarian government not allowing mass migration from Arabic countries into Hungary; as well as its refusal to promote the woke agenda. He then stated that ‘since Donald Trump left office [as President of the United States], one international crisis comes after another.’ He was proven right later that day once again.
Mr Szánthó also opined that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is not just about Hamas versus Israel, it is also about ‘life versus destruction’. He also added that ‘the terrorists and the left are attacking Israel because it represents the success of a democracy based on tradition and religion.’
Minister of EU Affairs János Bóka of Hungary spoke next. He stressed that Israel is currently exercising its right to self-defence; and stated that some of the atrocities committed during the Hamas attack on 7 October ‘are reminiscent of the darkest days of the Nazi regime’. He also told the audience that we have to fight the new wave of European antisemitism with ‘the light of Jewish life’; and that fighting the new wave of antisemitism and anti-Zionism in Europe is one of the major agenda points of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union.
‘Fighting the new wave of antisemitism and anti-Zionism in Europe is one of the major agenda points of the Hungarian EU presidency’
The next keynote speaker, Minister of Transportation Miri Regev of Israel stated that it was so important to her to make an appearance at the Pro-Israel Summit that she even came ‘in the middle of a war’. She said that she was thanking Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary on behalf of her Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for Hungary’s unwavering support for Israel since the dreaded 7 October attack. She also referenced one of PM Orbán’s statements about the anti-Israel voices in the West, calling them ‘victim blaming’.
She also issued a warning, stating that ‘terrorism knows no boundaries,’ and one day even Budapest can be targeted by Islamists if the threat is not contained. Minister Regev opined that Islamist terror is not just targetting Israel, but the Western world and everything that it stands for: democracy, individualism, freedom of speech, and women’s equality—’That is why Israel must win,’ she proclaimed.
She went on to describe Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas as the new ‘crescent-shaped’ axis of evil, with Iran being its head. Ms Regev also talked about how, in her capacity as Minister of Transportation, she had to negotiate with EU countries not to cancel direct flights to Israel. As usual, Hungary was the most supportive of the Jewish state, and was the first to resume direct air travel to Tel Aviv.
‘Islamist terror is not just targeting Israel, but the Western world and everything that it stands for’
The minister was then joined on stage by Ilana Atias, an Israeli woman who lost her daughter during the 7 October attacks. Her daughter was originally taken hostage, and later killed by Hamas in their captivity. Currently, 101 Israelis are still being held hostage by the terrorist group, Minister Regev reminded all.
The audience got to hear another first-hand account of the 7 October attack. Eden Wessely bravely travelled to the scene of the Nova festival massacre in search of her long-time friend. There, she witnessed unimaginable horror, including sexual assault, which the Western mainstream media has tried to unexplainably deny happening for a while.
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