Orbán does not agree again with the rest of Europe and may start a crisis with this move
Hungary could become the first European country to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The controversial gesture could lead to diplomatic issues, as apparently it was not approved by the EU.
As part of what appears to be a special gesture to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from his Hungarian colleague Viktor Orbán, Hungary will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem next month, The Times of Israel reports.
The Israeli papers report that Foreign Ministry sources link the decision by Budapest to the Hungarian leader’s desire to help out the PM amid controversy over plans to weaken the judiciary, which have been likened to Hungary.
Considering the uproar surrounding proposals to weaken the judiciary in Israel, the Foreign Ministry sources of The Times of Israel link Budapest’s move to the Hungarian leader’s wish to assist the PM.
Senior Foreign Ministry officials told Zman Yisrael, the Hebrew language sister site of the Times of Israel, on Friday that the two countries recently reached an agreement on the issue. The specifics have been worked out during intensive discussions between Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Hungary’s Péter Szijjártó.
Hungary will become the first EU member state to open an embassy in Jerusalem as a result of the decision, which the EU rejects in the absence of a Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement.
The EU Commission has a different view
The European Union has a long-standing position, stemming from a 1980 UN resolution calling for all countries to withdraw their embassies from Jerusalem. This means that now every EU member state delegates their diplomats to Tel Aviv.
Telex.hu reports that the rumoured move wasn’t approved by the EU. A spokesman for the European Commission said on Friday that the organisation had not heard of any official notification of Hungary’s intention to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.
This is not Hungary’s first diplomatic favour for the Netanyahu-lead Israeli government. Orbán committed to open a trade office in Jerusalem with “diplomatic status” during a trip to Israel in 2019.
A few months later, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó attended the office’s opening ceremony. Netanyahu said that the move was important as “Hungary is leading right now a move to change the attitude in Europe toward Jerusalem.”
Read also Visa-free entry to this European country ends from Hungary
Source: Times of Israel, telex.hu
Birds of a feather flock together. Victor, Trump, Putin, Nonasaro, and Benji. A small club for small men.
Hungary, as usual, is doing the right thing. The rest of EU countries should stop criticizing Hungary. The rest of EU should start by protecting its Jewish population. It is a positive shame that attacks against Jewish people are rising in the rest of EU.
The EU is so insecure and childish it is embarrassing!
Does it really matter in which city the Embassy is situated? If it does matter then please explain why!
The EU worries about this but ignores a direct attack by a “friendly” nation on a vital piece of infrastructure, Nordstream.
It is difficult to see what the point of the EU is nowadays!
@Bruce I hope you’re not basing your “whattabout” Nordstream claim on Mr. Hersh’s piece, which relies on one (1) anonymous source? https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/10/hersh-nord-stream-sabotage/
The point of the EU – freedom of movement, the customs union, relative peace for decade upon decade through economic interdependence … Just a few benefits ?
Bruce- well done, I have nothing more to say!
EU has no plan, how stupid is the EU to follow the USA that blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines all for their own gain.