CEE countries expect fair, balanced approach to Israel, says foreign minister

The countries of central Europe expect the United Nations and its institutions to adopt a “fair, balanced and non-biased approach” towards Israel, Hungary’s foreign minister said on the sidelines of a conference on the Middle East on Thursday.

Péter Szijjártó noted that Visegrád Group leaders would meet Benjamin Netanyahu, their Israeli counterpart, next week.

Concerning recent US plans led by Jared Kushner for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement agreement, Szijjártó said Hungary hoped that the American effort would succeed.

“Hungary appreciates American mediation attempts and any initiative that may bring us closer to a solution,” he said.

Szijjártó noted he had addressed the plenary session of the conference and rejected any measures against Israel which “may sound good on the international stage but won’t get us closer to a solution and could generate further conflicts”. Hungary does not support economic measures against Israel, he said, noting that Hungary had ignored the European Commission’s recommendations and refused to apply any such measures.

Meanwhile, he said making progress in peacemaking in the Middle East “has turned out to be very difficult”. A solution cannot be anticipated in light of developments in Syria, while events in Yemen may pose further challenges for Europe, Szijjártó told MTI.