How has the international community turned against Israel? Did Israel commit crimes against the civilian population in Gaza? What is the importance of Hungary’s friendship with Israel? We asked Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs about Israel’s changing international reputation at the MCC Feszt, organized by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC).
‘It is impossible to defend democratic legitimacy by hollowing out the very norms that give our institutions their credibility. Germany’s strength after 1949 was not rooted in the moral purity of its political representatives, but in the trust built around procedures, non-negotiable rules, and the idea that the parliament is bound not by political preference but by democratic representation.’
In 1982, Hungary’s state security services launched Operation ‘Crystal’ to surveil an IMF delegation staying at Budapest’s Hilton Hotel. Phones were tapped, documents copied, and economic secrets uncovered—all under the watchful eye of the Kádár regime. The operation reveals the extent of Cold War-era espionage woven into everyday locations.
‘These Hungarians were among the luckier individuals in Europe. No less than 800 Westerners and Japanese were trucked to strategic locations in Kuwait to serve as human shields. At the same time, thousands of other expats were not allowed to leave the country until almost the end of 1990, when all were released after living on the edge for months.’
‘…just recently, during the EU–China summit hosted by Xi, not only was there no Chinese delegation to welcome European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other top EU leaders, but the Chinese autocrat also made them take a bus to reach the summit venue. This does not look like a man who is on his way out.’
Hungary has assumed command of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission for the fourth time, deploying four Gripen fighter jets to safeguard the skies over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, reaffirming its role as a committed and reliable NATO ally.
Hungary’s government finalized the terms of its 3 per cent home loan programme, expanding eligibility and introducing new support for public servants, while also criticizing an EU–US trade deal and reaffirming its stance on national sovereignty.
After the US–EU trade deal, it is impossible to ignore the striking similarities between late Qing‑era China and Europe’s current predicament. The period marking the downfall of the Qing dynasty is known as China’s Century of Humiliation—a process that, in many respects, is already well underway in today’s Europe. Yet our humiliation must not be allowed to last a century.
In April, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu visited Budapest amid international controversy over an ICC arrest warrant. Hungary, rejecting the court’s legitimacy, announced its withdrawal from the ICC, later formalized in May. The ICC has since launched non-compliance proceedings, while Hungary claims the court is politically biased and vows not to cooperate.
Esztergom will once again host MCC Feszt, one of Hungary’s most prominent intellectual festivals, kicking off Thursday with a diverse mix of public debates, lectures, and concerts. Headliners include Peter Thiel, Sebastian Kurz, and Dominic Cummings, with nearly 50,000 visitors expected, according to MCC Director General Zoltán Szalai.