Palestine

Fidesz: Time to review school teaching on anti-Semitism

Being anti-Israel is a new form of anti-Semitism, Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch said in Strasbourg on Tuesday, adding that the time had come to review school materials in the European education system related to anti-Semitism, the State of Israel and Judaism.

Addressing a conference held in the European Parliament entitled The Role of Education in the Fight Against Anti-Semitism, Deutsch said history could be prevented from repeating itself only through the handover of knowledge, and the Jewish community should never again be a target or victim of extremist groups.

He said that after the terrorist attack against Israel, left-wing and far-left parties and NGOs had fuelled anti-Semitic and anti-Israel acts in many Western European cities with “apparently pro-Palestinian” demonstrations which “in fact supported terrorism and terrorists”.

Deutsch called this “proof of moral corruption on the left”, insisting that

“national and international socialism” was “allied with anti-Semitism”.

Hungary enforces zero tolerance against all forms of anti-Semitism, he noted, adding that Hungary was “one of the safest places for Jews” today.

The head of the Fidesz EP delegation said the Tett es Vedelem Foundation was created with the aim of preventing anti-Semitic manifestations by educating people about Judaism and strengthening the identity and traditions of the Hungarian Jewish community. The foundation helps to develop Jewish-related teaching materials used to teach the Hungarian national curriculum, he added.

Christian Democrat MEP György Hölvényi said building a society free of anti-Semitism and based on democracy and tolerance began in the classroom.

Miklós Panyi, parliamentary state secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, said in his speech that there was an emphatic link between acts of anti-Semitism, terrorism and illegal migration. Western European countries, he said, were “unable to control the situation”. Migrants, he added, did not favour liberal ideology and the left-wing ideas meant “nothing to them”. The foundations of Jewish-Christian society was being shaken to its core, Panyi said.

He said

studies proved that Hungary was “the second safest country for Jews”.

The Hungarian government, Panyi added, was committed to protecting Jewish communities against anti-Semitic attacks, exclusion and hate speech.

Gál Kinga, the head of the Fidesz EP group, said in her speech that growing anti-Semitism must be combatted and “hate movements” present on the streets of western European cities must not be allowed to take hold. They represented the failure of European migration and integration policy, she added.

As we published yesterday, Hungarians worry about Islamist terrorism and sympathise with Israel – Latest poll

Also we wrote about Hungary is helping Gaza refugees with a lot of money, details HERE

November 21, 2023

Hungarian government demands release of Hamas’s Hungarian hostages – UPDATE

Hungary’s government demands that Hamas release its Hungarian hostages and that the international community do everything in its power to secure the release of those abducted from Israel by the terrorist group, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in New York on Monday.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Szijjártó noted that thanks to the joint efforts of Israel and Egypt, the Hungarian citizens who had been stuck in Gaza and wanted to leave had been successful evacuated. He also underscored the importance of minimising civilian casualties in the conflict.

In the video on Facebook, the minister also noted that Hamas was holding five Hungarian citizens hostage. “Therefore we can’t accept any declaration, decision or resolution that doesn’t explicitly and clearly call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” he said.

“We demand that Hamas release the hostages and that the international community do everything it can to secure their release,” Szijjártó added.

Meanwhile, he emphasised the importance of Egypt’s stability, calling the north African country one of Europe’s “main bastions of defence”, given Cairo’s key role in curbing migration pressure.

Szijjártó said he will also meet leaders of the UN’s counter-terrorism body as well as the under-secretary-general responsible for African relations.

Meanwhile, addressing the issue of migration, the minister said the Hungarian authorities last year prevented 275,000 illegal entries and more than 170,000 so far this year, adding that the migrants coming to Hungary’s borders were increasingly aggressive.

“This is, unfortunately, a direct consequence of Brussels pursuing a migration policy that encourages and inspires migration, and constantly fuels the business model of people-smuggling rings,” the minister said. “We have to put a stop to this, because it will have tragic consequences.”

Szijjártó said migration pressure on Europe originating from Africa would become “unbearable” later on if it was left unaddressed. This requires Europe to combat terrorism, as it is one of the root causes of migration waves, he said, noting that this was why Hungary was sending 200 soldiers to Chad in the interest of upholding the stability of the Sahel region. Details: Hungarian government to send military mission to Africa

The minister also underlined the need to bring economic development to the region. “That’s why it’s important that Europe bring developments and investments there that will create jobs, instead of attracting migrants from Africa,” he said.

He noted that Hungary is providing 140 million dollars in tied aid to Africa in addition to carrying out 30 million dollars’ worth of social development schemes. Hungary also supports the survival of Christian communities in 18 countries and offers scholarships to 1,425 students each year to study at Hungarian universities, he added.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said Hungary’s foreign policy was “highly respected” on the world stage because the government pursued “an honest and sovereign policy”.

“So when it comes to Hungarian foreign policy, everyone knows full well that its rules are written in Budapest instead of being dictated from somewhere else,” he said. “And this sovereign Hungarian foreign policy is indeed respected here in New York, in the UN and on the world political stage.”

As we wrote today, Hungarians worry about Islamist terrorism and sympathise with Israel – latest poll

Joint efforts from the international community can prevent Middle East escalation

A united effort from the international community can prevent conflict escalation in the Middle East, and the countries in the region could return to the hopeful path towards peace carved by the Abraham Accords, Szijjarto said.

It should not be forgotten that the current conflict began with a “really brutal terrorist attack” a month and a half ago, Szijjártó told an informal session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to a ministry statement.

Preventing a repeat of “such a heinous attack” was in the interest of not just Israel, but the entire world, he said, adding successful actions against terrorism were also a global interest.

Highlighting the Hungarian aspects of the situation, Szijjártó said the Hungarian citizens who had been stuck in Gaza and wanted to leave had been successfully evacuated. He expressed thanks to his Egyptian and Israeli counterparts without whom, he said, “it would not have been possible to evacuate those 14 Hungarian citizens who wanted to leave the Gaza Strip”.

He also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the five Hungarian citizens held hostage by Hamas. For this reason, he said, Hungary could only accept resolutions, decisions and statements that called for the immediate release of those being held captive.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó underlined the critical need to preserve Egypt’s stability, calling the north African country “one of the major bastions of European security”.

While the international community asks Cairo to take in everyone fleeing Gaza, it should also contribute to preserving the country’s stability, he said, noting that Hungary has offered 100,000 euros in aid to Egypt for the procurement of medical supplies to treat those who have fled Gaza.

Szijjártó said Europe was facing severe security challenges, and the situation in the Middle East had a direct impact on the entire continent.

Hungarians, he said, therefore had a vested interest in the peace and security of the Middle East. He said that in the short term, the international community must do everything possible to prevent escalation and an interstate war in the region.

“Because if this action against terror becomes war between countries, then in the Middle East it would have absolutely … unpredictable consequences, which I think none of us would like to see,” he said, urging members of the international community to “behave very responsibly”.

In the long run, Szijjártó said, it was important to return to the principle of the Abraham Accords which were “the best attempt to offer hope” for peace in the Middle East. He asked the signatories of the normalisation agreements and those “who plan to be part of it” not to give up and to “try to come back to the Abraham Accords”.

“And we do believe that if we join our forces, then we can avoid escalation … in the Middle East, and we will be able to come back to a hopeful path of ensuring that all people in the Middle East can live in peace and under a stable situation,” Szijjártó said.

November 20, 2023

Latest poll: Hungarians worry about Islamist terrorism and sympathise with Israel

Respondents in a recent survey have expressed sympathy with Israel and “there is significant concern” about Islamist terrorism among the general population, pollster Századvég said on Monday.

The survey results put “Israel’s popularity index in the positive range” while 94 percent of those asked had heard about the Hamas organisation’s slaying more than 1,000 civilians on Israeli ground, it said.

According to Századvég “the Hungarian population is definitely critical about anti-Israeli public figures” with “the popularity index of Hungarian and EU politicians supporting Palestine and Hamas is strongly negative”.

Fully 87 percent of respondents said they were concerned that “Islamist terrorism could resurface in Europe in the near future”.

As we wrote a few day ago, Hungarian citizens who wanted to leave Gaza left, one stays – details HERE

We also wrote, Hungary helps Gaza refugees with a lot of money, details HERE.

November 20, 2023

Hungarian citizens who wanted to leave Gaza left, one stays

Six more Hungarian citizens – four children and their two Palestinian family members – have left the Gaza Strip, leaving only one Hungarian citizen in the area, who has decided to stay, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said late on Wednesday.

The security situation in the Middle East remains desperate, Szijjártó said after returning from Morocco, according to a ministry statement. He noted that in recent weeks, the ministry had been in contact with 15 Hungarian citizens who had been stuck in Gaza without the possibility of getting out.

Two weeks ago, foreign nationals were given the chance to leave the area, Szijjártó said, noting that he had spoken with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts who had assured him that the Hungarians in question could leave Gaza via the Rafah border crossing towards Egypt.

Not long after this, eight Hungarian citizens and their Palestinian relatives were able to leave, while seven people stayed in view of the security risks, the minister said, noting that several of the Hungarians had since been injured.

Szijjártó welcomed that on Wednesday evening, six more Hungarian citizens were able to cross into Egypt, where staff members of the Hungarian embassy in Cairo had been waiting for them.

Staff at the embassy will handle the necessary paperwork, and they will be able to return to Hungary with a scheduled flight this week, he added.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said one Hungarian citizen had decided to stay in Gaza. “This individual, too, would have had the chance to reach the Rafah border crossing and enter Egypt, but decided to stay,” the minister said. “We will, of course, remain in contact with this person.”

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November 16, 2023

Hungarians trapped in the Gaza Strip injured

Hungary’s government will stand up for “specifically Hungarian considerations” at all forums discussing the situation in Israel, because freeing Hungarian hostages and bringing those in Gaza to safety is of primary importance, the foreign minister said in Brussels on Monday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers, Péter Szijjártó told a press conference that the roots of the conflict “should not be forgotten or relativised”, despite the varied takes of member states on the situation.

“In a brutal terrorist attack, a terrorist organisation attacked Israel with thousands of missiles, causing thousands of deaths and injuries. What’s going on now is an anti-terrorist operation, a fight against terrorism,” he said.

The success of the operation is in the interest of the entire world, he said.

Seven Hungarian citizens are still stranded in Gaza, and cannot leave for security reasons, he said.

“We are in constant contact with them. The place they are staying in was hit yesterday, several of them were lightly injured and taken to hospital. They have all left the hospital by today, and are organising their journey to the border crossing in Rafah,”

he said, referring to the only border crossing in the Gaza Strip with Egypt.

Szijjártó said he had agreed with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts that the Hungarian citizens and their two Palestinian relatives may leave the Gaza Strip when they arrive there.

“Regarding the conflict in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism, Hungary will only support solutions that enable all dual citizens and their family members to leave the Gaza Strip if they want to,” he said.

Hamas is also holding five Hungarians hostage, he said, and thanked Qatar for its mediation in the negotiations.

“We can back resolutions and proposals of any international organisation only if it calls on Hamas to let the hostages go immediately, without conditions,” he said.

The international community also has a task to prevent an escalation, as a war between states in the Middle East “would have unforeseeable consequences”, he said.

Szijjártó also highlighted the importance of support for Egypt, saying that instability there would have a dramatic effect on European security. Cairo has a major role in curbing migration to the continent, he said.

“If Egypt lost its stability and wasn’t able to act as a barrier, the continent could face migration pressure and security challenges it does not seem to be prepared for,” he said.

Hungary is supporting the health care of Gaza refugees in Egypt with 40 million forints (EUR 105,900), here are the details.

As we wrote before, Budapest police (BRFK) have banned a demonstration regarding the armed conflict between the Hamas terrorist organisation and Israel, details HERE.

November 13, 2023

Palestine Ambassador to Hungary: Would wrongdoings be compatible with democracy?

The course of the events taking place in Palestine and on its people, is the antitheses of law and freedom. Each and every ‘inalienable’ human right is being violated in Palestine on an hourly basis, minute by minute. They are indeed a plethora of horrific events ravaging Palestine. Perhaps the most tragic however, is Genocide, which is underway right now in Gaza. Genocide is unfolding under the watch of everyone on this planet, with world leaders unwilling to demand an end to it, as well as demonstrating a weak commitment to international law and a rules based international order by failing to call it what it is: Genocide. On the contrary, many actors continue to taut familiar facile comments related to the ‘right to self-defense’ and the importance of adhering to international law, yet the failure making everyone inof the international community to hold Israel accountable to internationally established values and laws.

In the midst of prevailing statements that turn a blind eye to the mass killings and genocides, the targeting civilians, the use of chemical weapons in densely populated civilian areas, one might wonder; where does international law and international humanitarian law stand on all this? Wasn’t this law a binding slogan that every nation and government promised to abide by in order to maintain global peace and security? Where are human rights and the value of human beings? Have all these values and principles vanished for the sake of pleasing the Israeli state, a state which has been proven to be the orchestrators of a state of apartheid?

The occupying power, Israel, hasn’t only found itself entangled in several shady affairs, but has also boldly contravened– literally – every line in the book of international law, not only since October 7, but decades before that. The blatant violations of international law have exceeded all limits and have gone beyond imagination. Let us have a look on some of the violations the occupying power, Israel, has been committing recently:

Bombing residential facilities and schools – a clear violation of international law (more than 443 thousand housing units were destroyed making it 54% of Gaza housing units either destroyed or damaged by Israeli attacks in addition to 22 schools which were either fully or partially destroyed).

Bombing medical facilities – including the destruction and damage of more than 107 hospital, clinics and medical centers, in addition to the destruction of 25 ambulances).

Intentionally targeting medical and UN staff –Israeli attacks left 66 doctors and paramedics killed and injured more than 110, in addition to 35 UN staff.

The unprecedented Israeli bombardment intentionally targeted journalists at the aim of silencing the truth– making the number of journalists killed 32.

The soaring death toll from exceeded 8,700 Palestinians, that includes purposefully killing children, women, and the elderly – (62% of the causalities) bringing the current numbers to: more than 3,718 children, 1,929 women and 1,200 elderly killed, while by the time this is published, the numbers will surely be higher.

Cutting off water, electricity, and medical supplies and communications a collective punishment that constitutes to a war crime by international law.

Displacing citizens from their homes and lands (more than one million 400 thousand civilians forced to leave their homes).

The unabated attacks and bombardment have clear signs of the use of internationally prohibited weapons such as white phosphorous, not to mention the horrendous amount of explosives dropped on Gaza (12 thousand tons of explosives, equal to the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima).

In this context, Israel is an occupying power, yet is clearly violating International Humanitarian Law, as represented in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, particularly, the Fourth Geneva Convention, regarding the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. And assuming that this is a war as promoted by Israel, then even war has rules under International Humanitarian Law. Israel must spare the lives of civilians, journalists, medical persons, and related infrastructures, including; residential areas, hospitals, churches, mosques, schools and UN grounds. Nonetheless, provision of vital supplies like water and food and medicine remains a priority. Israel should stop the destruction of civilian infrastructure, forced displacement and collective punishments.

Still, Israel, the occupying power, has been violating International Law long before October of this year. For example, the Israel has systematically worked on replacing the indigenous Palestinian population with newcomers (and here we mean settlers and settlements) in the West Bank. This is another violation to international law, as settlements are considered illegal under international law, many of which are even considered illegal under Israeli law.

To add insult to injury, Israeli forces have, for decades, kidnapping (arresting) 1,913 Palestinian citizens, including 170 minors; 39 women, without trial under the pretext of administrative detention. This number does not account for the thousands of trials in occupation courts that deny Palestinian defendants representation, making the sheer number of Palestinian hostages (detainees) 5,750, including almost 2,000 Palestinians in the past two weeks.

The list of violations preceding the current events is extensive; serving nothing but broadening the clouds of tension hanging over the region. How can a State excuse its illegal activity, blatant disregard for the rule of law and violation of moral, legal and political obligations? It is dumbfounding how some still argue that it is the only democracy in the region. Would such wrongdoings be compatible with democracy? It might be confusion; but confusion spawns uncertainty, and uncertainty is dangerous, for it increases the risk of a misstep that could go opposite to values and morals.

One might wonder how the baseless propaganda of Israel’s ‘right to self-defense’ could fly! It begs the question, does the occupying force have the right to defend its illegal occupation and blockade? Instead of insuring the safety and security of people under occupation – which is stated clearly in international law – such positions are granting the occupation forces a license to commit apartheid, genocide, further massacres and mass killings.

Outlandish! Disqualifying all the events that preceded the 7^th of October nullifies one basic element of humanity that every adult is the steward of every child’s life. No child is more important to our future than another!! As a matter of fact, any such calls of Israel’s right to self-defense, particularly under such bloodshed and atrocities committed, should be considered a promotion of war crimes. Instead of insisting on propagating this justification of war crimes, enforcing a ceasing-fire, opening humanitarian corridors and launching peace talks should be the top priority.

But you started it on October 7! People can’t just chose one point in history as a starting point and thus erasing the context from which an event arises. The broader context within which the current state of affairs is located, is in the midst of the establishment and expansion of a settler colonial state facilitated by a 75 year-long occupation of historical Palestine, 56 year-long occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and a 17 year-long illegal blockade of Gaza. Israel killed thousands before October 7; targeted children, women and the elderly, built and expanded illegal settlements, confiscated Palestinian lands and demolished homes, oppressed and pirated Palestinian water and natural resources. No one should disqualify the long list of atrocities committed by Israel and limit it to one day, needless to say the long list of Israeli massacres committed against Palestinian citizens since 1948.

Massacres and oppression against the Palestinians hasn’t spared Muslim or Christian. Perhaps people haven’t seen the continuous attacks by Jewish settlers, protected by Israeli occupation forces, against churches, priests, prayers. The last of which was just last month when settlers spat on Palestinian Christian prayers simply because they were next to their church. As a matter of fact, Israel has been working hard in finding any solution but the two-state solution, believing that it can maintain its occupation to Palestine forever! This is exactly what the Palestinian leadership has been warning from for long time… don’t kill the hopes for peace.

But they are using civilians as human shields! Really, Israel with its highly sophisticated technology and surveillance on every inch in Gaza was unable to provide any proof to confirm these allegations. Very similar to the propaganda spread stating that the Palestinians are the ones who bombed the Baptist hospital. The occupation might be able to fake some images and use Artificial intelligence (AI) – like they did with the 40 babies’ images – yet, the facts suggest that Palestinian home-made rockets haven’t killed 70 Israelis in more than 20 years, how then, would one rocket kill hundreds of Palestinians? Do they have such highly explosive rockets? The answer is no. Israeli faked news, false propaganda and lies don’t fly for long, like the assassination of Journalist Shireen Abu Aqla who was killed by an Israeli sniper. Israel denied any responsibility and blamed the Palestinians for her murder, and few months later it turned out that it was an Israeli sniper.

But Israel left the Gaza Strip! Well, Gaza is part and parcel of Palestine. Perhaps Israeli troops are not physically in Gaza, yet since 2007 Israel turned it the world largest open air prison, with 2.3 million Palestinians living in 365 square Kilometers. People in Gaza have been under land, air, and sea illegal blockade that has impeded the movement of people and goods.

At this juncture, it becomes truly distressing to see officials criticizing pro-Palestine demonstrations and attributing them to supporting terrorism. Millions from Tokyo to New York, from Sweden to South Africa and Australia….Do they all support terrorism? Do all of these people see something that those who describe them as supporters of terrorism do not see? Examining demonstrations, north and south, east and west, we did not see any sign or indication of any party or political affiliations. Rather, all these crowds spoke up out of conscious, after seeing the horror of the massacres and genocides carried out by Israel. Masses have gathered to show their support for human lives, their support for humanity, their support for dignity, for the basic rights of the Palestinians to live and live freely.

The double standards demonstrated by many leaders can be interpreted as nothing short of a shocking admission that they believe the value of a Palestinian child, woman, or citizen is not equal to the value of other citizens. If the killing of innocent children and civilians of Palestine was intentional, then this is a war crime that must be called by what it is. And, if their killing was a “mistake” then it deserves condemnation from international parties, recognition and an apology.

Responsibility must prevail now; responsibility dictates charting a path forward where enmity must replace amity. However, for this to happen, amity needs peace and peace can’t be made without the meaningful involvement of the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine – the Palestinians. As indigenous to the land of Palestine, Palestinians have one and only one aspiration: ending the occupation and realizing the independent state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.

Read also:

Interview with Palestinian Ambassador Dr Elhusseini on Israel, Hungarian-Palestinian relations and many others – Read more HERE

November 3, 2023

8 of 15 Hungarian citizens leave Gaza

Of the fifteen Hungarian citizens in the Gaza Strip, eight have been able to leave the area, and contacts with the remaining seven persons will be maintained in order to evacuate them as soon as possible, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Astana on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by his ministry, Szijjártó said the armed conflict in Israel had put many Hungarians in danger, more than 550 people managed to escape from the country, but fifteen people with Hungarian citizenship were stranded in Gaza, along with around 7,000 other foreigners.

“We tried to move every stone in order to evacuate them, but as you could see, no one had had the opportunity in recent weeks to leave the Gaza Strip for Egypt at the Rafah border crossing,” he said.

Szijjártó said the fifteen people basically comprised three families and including five Palestinian relatives, there were twenty people who were informed without delay when a possibility opened to leave the area. “Two of the three families accepted the security challenges, which entailed having to travel a relatively long distance within the Gaza Strip in order to reach the border crossing. One family did not accept this,” he said.

“The two families, with a total of eight Hungarian citizens and two Palestinian family members, crossed the border at Rafah a few hours ago so they are all in Egypt now,” he said.

“Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to the Egyptian and Israeli foreign ministers for helping us … bring the Hungarian citizens out of the Gaza Strip,” Szijjártó said.

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November 2, 2023

Possible Hungarian victim of Hamas terror attack?

Another Hungarian-Israeli family experienced the consequences of the Hamas terrorist attack on an Israeli kibbutz in early October. According to a relative, a member of this family is believed to be a victim of the attack.

Hungarian-Israelis affected by the Hamas attack

As we reported a few days earlier, it has been confirmed that Hamas has taken Hungarian-Israeli children hostage. The Foreign Ministry acknowledged last week that it was aware of a total of four Hungarian hostages. However, according to recent reports in Hetek, another Hungarian-Israeli teenage girl is also being held hostage by Hamas.

Growing concern

Reports indicated that during the attack, the teenage girl and her mother were forcibly taken to Gaza by Hamas jihadists. Unfortunately, no news has surfaced regarding the father, also a Hungarian-Israeli, who is currently reported as missing.

Hungarian-Israeli victim

Osnat Weiss, a Hungarian-Israeli, chose to share his family’s traumatic experience. He revealed that several family members resided in the Be’eri kibbutz, the very village where terrorists carried out a brutal massacre. Osnat’s brother, Ilan, remains missing since the attack, while his wife (Shiri) and 18-year-old daughter (Noga) were taken hostage by Hamas jihadists in Gaza. The parents’ other two older daughters, however, were rescued safely from the kibbutz and found refuge in another apartment, as reported by atv.hu.

Osnat also disclosed that his other brother, Amir, who also held Hungarian citizenship, tragically lost his life along with his wife during the attack. So according to Hetek, there is a Hungarian victim of the Hamas terror attack. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet confirmed the news.

Minister: Government unaware of Hungarian fatalities in Israel

Hungary’s government remains unaware of any Hungarian citizens having died in Israel, and reports of Hungarian fatalities in the Middle Eastern country have proven to be untrue, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday. The government knows of five hostages with Hungarian citizenship in Gaza, having been notified recently of another adult hostage, Szijjártó shared, according to a ministry statement.

He said certain media outlets had blamed the government for having been unaware of the hostages until recently. Szijjártó called for “a minimal degree of fairness”, pointing out that the Hungarian authorities could only be made aware of the hostages if they are notified by the Israeli authorities or relatives.

There had been several cases, he said, of entire families being abducted, with no one left to alert the government, until their more distant relatives realised that they had been taken hostage. “But there are also regrettable cases where the entire family of the individual taken hostage died,” he added.

“So to expect us, in a situation like this, to be aware of someone having been taken hostage before they notify us, is unfair on the part of certain media outlets, to put it mildly,” Szijjártó said.

When lives are in danger, “attempts at such petty political gains, I think, can be considered unworthy, even at this level”, the minister fought back.

The government is in constant contact with the Israeli task force set up to free the hostages, he said, adding that all five Hungarian citizens were included in the list of people the Israeli authorities were trying to free.

Szijjártó said he had consulted last Friday with the foreign minister of a third country acting as a mediator between Israel and Hamas and working to have the hostages freed as soon as possible. “They are also aware of all five Hungarians now,” he added. The minister added his counterpart had promised to pay attention to the Hungarian hostages.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó noted that the government knows of 15 Hungarian citizens stranded in the Gaza Strip who are unable to leave the area for the time being.

The government is in constant contact with them, he said, adding however that this was becoming increasingly difficult because of power and internet connection cut-outs. “We last spoke to all of them yesterday, and they were doing fine. That’s the last update we have on them,” he revealed.

The minister noted that at one point, the Hungarian nationals had managed to pass through two of the three checkpoints towards Egypt, before having to be turned back because of nearby airstrikes.

He also noted that he had spoken with his Egyptian counterpart last week, who had told him that the Hungarians would be allowed to enter the country once the security and legal conditions permitted this.

Radical party: Hungary ‘must stay out of Israeli-Palestinian conflict’

The opposition Mi Hazánk party has called for Hungary to “stay out” of the war between Israel and Hamas, and support the position of the United Nations that urges “an immediate ceasefire and a two-state solution”. In respect of the war in Ukraine, the government proclaimed to be on the side of peace and refused to commit itself either of the warring parties, László Toroczkai, the party’s leader, told a press conference on Tuesday. Yet in the case of the crisis in Israel and Gaza which “threatens the possibility of the outbreak of a third world war”, the government “has abandoned this apparent neutrality” and “has taken the side of bloodshed…”

Mi Hazánk, he said, “most strongly condemns all forms of terrorism”, and that goes for the terrorist acts of Hamas, too. Every state has the right to self-defence, but only in its own territory, he added. Toroczkai said what was taking place in Gaza “can no longer be called self-defence”. “The massacre of 3,000 children cannot in any way be justified as self-defence,” he said, adding that the actions of the Israeli army against Syrian and Lebanese territories risked escalating the conflict.

November 1, 2023

Hungarian parliament approves declaration condemning terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel

Hungarian government parliament crisis Hungarian House Speaker

Parliament approved on Wednesday a political statement sponsored by the ruling Fidesz party condemning the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and expressing sympathy with those who suffered in the attacks and lost their loved ones.

Fully 168 MPs voted for the motion, two against, while there were four abstentions.

The declaration also recognises Israel’s right to self-defence.

It further states that “crowds” entering Europe infiltrated by Hamas and other terrorists severely endangered European security and was a “direct result” of its “irresponsible and flawed” migration policy.

In addition, it states that Hungary is defending its borders against illegal migration with physical and legal border closures and declares the expectation that the EU should support its border protection efforts to bar terrorists from entering Europe.

Yacov Hadas-Handelsman, Israel’s ambassador to Hungary, was present at the session.

DK backs statement condemning terrorism

The opposition Democratic Coalition has said it supports a political statement drafted by the government condemning terrorism and standing by its victims, notwithstanding “problematic parts and omissions”.

DK proposed that Hamas should be named as a terrorist organisation in the text but this was voted down by the Fidesz majority at Tuesday’s legislative committee meeting, DK’s parliamentary group leader, Gergely Arató, told an online press briefing before the motion was adopted on Wednesday.

Still, DK has backed adopting the government’s draft which condemns the terrorist attack, expresses solidarity with Israel, and recognises Israel’s right to self-defence, he said.

Further, expressing compassion for the victims is more important than the gaps and problematic parts of the declaration, he added.

Arató said it was unfathomable why Fidesz refused to openly call Hamas a terrorist organisation and why the ruling party highlighted the European Union in connection with the threat of terrorism when the government had “released almost 1,400 human traffickers from prison”.

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October 25, 2023

FM Szijjártó: ‘Israel has the right to self-defence’

“Any explanation for or relativising” the terrorist attack against Israel “is unacceptable”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in New York late on Tuesday.

“There is no excuse for such barbarism,” Szijjártó told an open debate in the United Nations Security Council, adding that “Israel has the right to self-defence, but an escalation of the situation must be prevented.”

The foreign ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying that global security was “in its worst state since the Cold War”, especially “the grave challenges facing Europe”.

Regarding the wars in Ukraine and Israel, “we must speak clearly and nothing must be relativised … there can be no excuse for firing thousands of missiles at a sovereign country, killing a large number of innocent citizens,” Szijjártó said. “It is not only in the interest of Israel but in that of the whole international community that similar attacks should never happen again.”

“Israel has suffered a terrorist attack … what is now going on is a fight against terrorism, and it is in the interest of the whole world that it should be successful,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said, the international community should do everything to avoid an escalation of the conflict, and “the fight against terrorism should be prevented from broadening into a war between countries.”

Szijjártó noted the 2020 Abraham Accords as an agreement pointing towards a lasting peace, but now the terrorist attacks against Israel posed “a great risk of compromising those achievements, and the situation could become as hopeless as before.”

“We count on the Gulf states, Arab countries in the region, which have so far behaved extremely responsibly, not to allow the results of the Abraham Accords to be ruined,” he said.

Szijjártó said the demonstrations in western Europe and in the US held in support of terrorist organisations and celebrating acts of terrorism had been “terrifying”. He expressed concern about an increase in anti-Semitism, which he said was rooted in mass immigration and had “created parallel societies in some countries”. It was “totally inconceivable” that the Hungarian authorities would grant licence for such demonstrations, he added.

He also warned that a potential escalation of the situation in the Middle East would threaten European with “further and dangerous waves of migration.”

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October 25, 2023

FM Szijjártó: Israel conflict could take us close to WWIII

The potential escalation of the conflict in Israel from an anti-terror operation to another interstate armed conflict “would take us extremely close to a third world war”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in New York on Tuesday.

Arriving at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Szijjártó said several of his European and North American counterparts would be present at the session given the level of concern over the conflict in Israel.

“It has to be made clear that Israel has been a victim of a brutal terrorist attack, because the act of firing thousands of missiles on the territory of a sovereign country, killing a large number of civilians and taking hostages cannot be interpreted any other way,” he said, according to a ministry statement.

And Israel has a right to take action over this brutal attack, he said, underlining that “Israel does indeed have a right to self-defence.”

Szijjártó added, at the same time, that most countries wanted to avoid that the fight against terrorism should escalate into an interstate war, which he said would be “a real global security tragedy”.

“A war in Ukraine, terrorist attacks in Africa and a potential escalation of a conflict in the Middle East to an interstate war combined would take us very, very close to something we’d call a third world war,” he said.

Szijjártó said he had spoken earlier with his Egyptian, Jordanian and Emirati counterparts, pointing out that these countries were all key to the stability of the Middle East region.

He highlighted the importance of the support of the Arab countries whose “reserved, constructive and positive approach” he said had played a crucial role in the region’s security and stability. Szijjártó said it was critical not to allow the terrorist attack against Israel destroy the progress and the hope for peace brought about by the Abraham Accords.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó praised Egypt’s help in keeping illegal migration at bay, saying that instability in the region would put Europe under “unbearable” pressure. Another reason why Egypt was a key player, he added, was that it was the only direction to leave the Gaza Strip by land.

An escalation of the fight against terrorism in Israel to an interstate war would destabilise several countries, and Europe could easily find itself under a level of security pressure that, when coupled with the security pressure from Ukraine, would be impossible to handle, the minister warned.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the ministry was in constant contact with the 15 Hungarian citizens trapped in Gaza. All of them are fine, and the government is working hard to find the physical, legal, and security possibilities for their evacuation, he said.

“This is only possible within the framework of a major international agreement and broad international cooperation,” Szijjártó said. “We’ll see when this will become possible,” he said, noting that Cairo had recently given the Hungarian nationals permission to enter Egypt’s territory, but they were ultimately turned back for security reasons.

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October 24, 2023

Ministry in constant touch with Hungarian citizens trapped in Gaza Strip

Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, has said the ministry is in constant touch with 15 Hungarian citizens stranded in the Gaza Strip, and efforts are under way to bring them to safety as part of an international agreement.

Speaking at the press conference in Luxembourg on Monday, Szijjártó said parents and children were among the stranded.

According to a ministry statement, he noted that

international cooperation was underway to evacuate people, “though for us, clearly what’s most important is that the 15 Hungarians who … want to leave Gaza can do so.”

The minister said that people attempting to leave Gaza via the Rafah border crossing towards Egypt must pass through three checkpoints, “and they had managed to pass through two when they were turned back for security reasons”.

Szijjártó said he had spoken with his Egyptian counterpart, and permission had been granted for them to enter Egypt, but “they didn’t reach the point where this would have been physically possible,” he said, adding that this had taken place “more than ten days ago, so I don’t think I’ve endangered anyone by talking about this now.”

As we wrote today, Hungarian governing Fidesz presents a declaration against Hamas and illegal migration, details HERE.

Also, we wrote a few days ago, the Council of Arab Ambassadors to Hungary held an urgent meeting in Budapest, details HERE.

October 23, 2023

Hungarian governing Fidesz presents a declaration against Hamas and illegal migration

Ruling Fidesz will next week submit a political declaration to parliament stating that the legislative body condemns Hamas’s terrorist attack against Israel and expresses its sympathies to the victims, Máté Kocsis, the party’s group leader, said on Facebook on Sunday.

The Fidesz document says Hungary condemns terrorists and is on the side of the victims. The victims of terrorism have the right to defend themselves and do whatever it takes to prevent another attack, it says.

Hungary recognises Israel’s right to self-defence, but an interstate war must be avoided, the declaration says, calling for the preservation of the Middle East peace process generated by the Abraham Accords.

It also points out that uncontrolled migration into Europe poses the risk of migrant groups being infiltrated by the agents of Hamas and other terrorist organisations.

October 23, 2023

Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Council of Arab Ambassadors to Hungary held an urgent meeting in Budapest

The Council of Arab Ambassadors to Hungary held an urgent meeting at the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Hungary. Arab ambassadors affirmed their solidarity with Palestine against the ongoing Israeli attacks, which deliberately targeted civilian facilities, hospitals, and sacred places killing thousands of Palestinians, mostly children and women.

As stated in a statement sent to Daily News Hungary, the Council of Arab Ambassadors condemned the attacks and any attempts meant to forcefully displace the Palestinian people. In the same context, the Council of Arab Ambassadors agreed to coordinate embassies’ cooperation and work through diplomatic channels to call for international intervention to stop the ongoing massacres in Gaza and provide a humanitarian corridor to bring food, medicine and fuel into Gaza Strip.

As a result, Arab Ambassadors sent letters requesting urgent meetings with the speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister of European Affairs, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Hungarian Parliament.

The Council of Arab Ambassadors to Hungary held an urgent meeting at the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Hungary.

The Arab ambassadors lit candles outside the Embassy to mourn and commemorate the lost lives of the Palestinians killed by the Israeli attacks.

In addition to the Palestinian Ambassador, the Ambassadors of Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen attended the event.

October 20, 2023

MEP Gyöngyösi: The EU is a bystander again in the recent conflict – video

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Hungarian MEP Márton Gyöngyösi (Non-Attached Member of the European Parliament) raised his concerns about the effectiveness of the European Commission on foreign policy issues at the October plenary session of the European Parliament.

“I was hoping to see Ursula von der Leyen in this debate today as, when she became Commission President, she promised to build a geopolitical Commission” said Gyöngyösi, stressing that “resolutions, statements, international conferences, selfies just won’t make the Commission become geopolitical”. The Hungarian MEP criticized the Commission claiming that after the conflict in Ukraine and Karabakh, the EU is again just a bystander in the recent Israeli-Palestinian war.

Concerning the recent war that broke out after the despicable terrorist attack of Hamas on Israel, Gyöngyösi told that nothing, no perceived historical injustices justifies the killing, abduction, execution of civilians.

“Israel has the right to self-defence but in pursuit of this, it has to respect international law” stressed the Hungarian politician.

Disclaimer: the sole liability for the opinions stated rests with the author(s). These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Parliament.

Read also: MEP Gyöngyösi accepted into the party family of ECPM – VIDEO

October 20, 2023

Israeli Ambassador to Hungary: Hamas attack ‘watershed’ moment

Hamas’s attack on Israel was a “watershed” moment for the Middle Eastern country, Israeli Ambassador to Hungary Yakov Hadas-Handelsman told parliament’s foreign affairs committee on Monday.

Hadas-Handelsman thanked Hungary’s parliament for its support, and asked for international support for Israel’s self-defence.

What happened on October 7 was not a terrorist attack but a “pogrom”, and even Holocaust survivors say they had not experienced such actions even during the Holocaust, the ambassador said, adding that Hamas’s terrorists had tortured people and murdered children. The attack was total destruction and a “barbaric act”, he said, adding that Hamas was as big a threat as the Islamic State terrorist group, with neither distinguishing between nationalities.

Hadas-Handelsman said Israel had been caught in a surprise attack. He said putting an end to this “barbarism” was not just in the interest of Israel, but also that of the international community, arguing that Hamas’s actions were being celebrated in multiple parts of the world. Israel wants to end Hamas’s political and military rule in the Gaza Strip in a way that this has minimal effect on those it does not concern, he said, adding that this was why Israel had called on civilians to leave northern Gaza.

He said Israel aimed to rescue all of the hostages held by Hamas.

Meanwhile, the country is prepared to have to defend itself on two fronts in the event that a second on opens up from Lebanon, he said.

The ambassador also said that while the reasons behind Hamas’s attack were unknown, it was possible Hamas had thought that Israel had been weakened and was divided by the ongoing internal social dispute, giving them a good opportunity to strike. One other possibility, he said, was that Iran could have been the one behind the attack because of its concerns over the United States’ taking a leadership role in the process to normalise the situation in the Middle East, and the significant changes this could bring to the region.

Some also interpret the attack as Iran and Russia working together to create a more difficult situation in the Middle East with the aim to divert attention from Ukraine, he said.

Ruling Fidesz’s Zsolt Németh, the head of the committee, said there was broad consensus on the condemnation of Hamas’s actions and the recognition of Israel’s right to defend itself. Hamas’s attack had been aimed at the destruction of Israel, so the world cannot be indifferent in this situation, he said, stressing the importance of supporting the existence of the state of Israel.

Németh also said there were no pro-Hamas demonstrations in Hungary, and that the Jewish community could count on the Hungarian state’s protection.

Ágnes Vadai of the leftist opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) said her party had submitted a draft resolution aimed at parliament designating Hamas a terrorist organisation in line with a resolution adopted by the Council of the European Union.

Lőrinc Nacsa of the co-ruling Christian Democrats said the events had “shocked” everyone.

Hadas-Handelsman said in response to Nacsa that the pro-Hamas rallies held across several cities was the exact reason why they did not think that the attack was solely Israel’s problem.

Opposition Jobbik’s Koloman Brenner said the reason why Hamas’s actions could be considered “barbaric” was because it demonstrated the group’s brutality and had been part of a pre-planned strategy.

Zita Gurmai of the Socialist Party said they condemned Hamas’s attack, but stressed the need to take civilians into consideration.

Read more news about Israeli–Palestinian conflict

October 16, 2023

PM Orbán: EU’s current leaders pose a constant security threat to Hungary – UPDATE

Terrorism “is unacceptable”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday in an interview to public radio, adding that “Hungary is on Israel’s side”.

Speaking about the attack carried out by Hamas, Orbán said it was “shocking” to see “the mark left by terrorism”.

“We feel for the victims of the attack and prays for their loved ones and the survivors, and is emotionally on the side of the victims,” he said.

Orbán said the situation in Israel was a stark reminder of the value of peace and stability, and elected leaders had a duty to protect this.

Hungary, he said, had always opposed terrorism irrespective of which country was being targeted.

“If a country is hit by a terrorist attack, its leaders — in this case Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu — no doubt think about their duty to their people and the need to do everything to prevent this,” Orbán said.

A country that is the victim of terrorism has the right to take steps to prevent such an attack from happening again and its citizens from becoming victims of terrorist strikes, the prime minister said.

The conflict in the Middle East must be contained, Orbán said, adding that though there was a war going on, Israel was fighting terrorism “like the Americans did”. “There’s no interstate war yet, and the danger is Israel getting into a war with one of the neighbouring Arab countries,” he said.

Orbán said an Arab-Israeli war would destabilise the region, shaking global politics “to the extent that the shockwaves would also be felt in Hungary”.

Though Hungarian diplomacy recognises Israel’s right to self-defence, it must pursue a de-escalation policy to prevent an interstate war, he said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said the government trusted it would manage to evacuate every Hungarian who wants to leave Israel, adding there were so far no Hungarians known to be among the victims of the terror attack.

“Things were just starting to go well in that corner of the world,” Orbán said, noting the improvements in Arab-Israeli relations under Donald Trump’s US presidency. There were even improvements in some of the Arab-Israeli relations which no one would have thought possible just a few years prior, he added.

Whether the terrorist attack was committed to thwart this process, he said, was for now “only speculation” on which Hungary has no intelligence reports yet. “But it is important to save every element of the peace process possible in spite of the attack,” the prime minister said.

Orbán called it “shocking” that rallies were planned or held in support of the terrorists across Europe. There were attempts to organise such rallies in Hungary too, he said, “but demonstrations in support of terrorist organisations can’t be held, because that in itself would pose a terror threat.” “We won’t therefore allow this in any way,” he added.

The fact that several European countries were failing to prevent such “pro-terror” rallies meant that there were many living in those countries who supported such attacks, the prime minister said. Because western European countries had allowed an uncontrolled influx of migrants during the migration crisis, “Hamas agents are among them now, which poses a direct threat to every western European country”, he added.

“Let’s thank God that our mind and heart was in the right place in 2015, and we built the border fence and implemented the legal entry restrictions which has helped us keep the terror threat that goes hand in hand with migration … away from Hungary,” Orbán said.

He said the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and now the terrorist attack in Israel showed that “we are living in a dangerous era”, and the Hungarian state must stand firm and “won’t tolerate” any lessening of security in the country.

Orbán noted that Hungary has one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities. “Of course it’s a diverse world … just as in Israel,” he said, adding that whereas people held different political views, they were “all citizens of Hungary”.

“They are Hungarian citizens, and the Hungarian state must protect them,” he said.

Hungarian citizens must not be allowed to feel in peril because of their origin or religion.

Orbán: Brussels wants us to share the security risk

Orbán also stressed that Hungary’s “model” for handling migration was “the only one that works”, and instead of adopting it, the European Union sought to destroy it.

He said “Brussels wants us to share the security risk”, adding that this risk was present because of “their bad decision-making in previous years”.

Orbán said the EU was making up rules to force Hungary into allowing “people who act violently” at its southern borders to live in the country.

The prime minister added that decisions made in Brussels were also aimed at forcing Hungary to build a refugee camp for 10,000 people, “a migrant ghetto”. The idea, he added, was to “keep the migrants there for a while and then let them out … we must protect ourselves from this.”

“We won’t be able to protect Hungary with the EU’s current leaders, because Brussels isn’t coming at us head on but attacking us from behind. It destroys instead of helping and poses a constant security risk to Hungary. That’s why major change is needed in next year’s European Parliament election,” Orbán said.

As we wrote today, Hungarian police do not allow a demonstration in support of Hamas in Budapest, details HERE.

Orbán about Hungarian Nobel scientists

Orbán said the two Hungarian Nobel scientists, Katalin Kariko and Ferenc Krausz, had come from deep inside Hungary, and this showed that talented Hungarians could succeed “even in the most difficult times”. He said neither were the children of well-off families from downtown Budapest, and neither were graduates of American or European universities.

“There are quite a few larger-than-life personalities among our athletes, scientists” and cultural representatives, he said.

Economic growth next year

Meanwhile, Orbán said that while Hungary’s focus this year was on reining in inflation, the government would push the country back to economic growth next year. Although combatting inflation “is traditionally the central bank’s responsibility”, Hungary had been faced with a heavy “international inflationary flood” which the “central bank’s little buckets couldn’t hold”, Orbán said. More effective instruments were needed, and so the government had to take over the task of fighting inflation, he added.

The government had wanted to maintain a relatively high level of growth amid the fight against inflation, “but this didn’t work out”, Orbán said. It therefore decided to focus its efforts on bringing inflation down, “even if that resulted in a loss of economic growth”, he added. This will be followed by the pursuit of a high economic growth rate in 2024, the prime minister said.

He said achieving this would not be easy, because in a low-growth environment elsewhere, it would be hard for a country like Hungary to grow, “especially with its small internal market”, and most of its economic output is sold abroad.

Whereas Germany was still dominant and the European Union “is our first priority”, he said, Hungary must remain open to all world markets. There was a debate, he added, as to whether the world economy should be divided into West and East, or whether to pursue interconnectedness, adding that the latter clearly was in the interest of Hungary’s economy.

Orbán noted his upcoming extended official visit to China next week. Hungarian foreign trade, he said, must succeed in bringing investments to Hungary and “products must be sold”.

Visit to Georgia

Commenting on his visit to Georgia in the past two days, the prime minister called Georgia “a European, Christian country,” and “an important gateway” to the Caucasus. The EU plans to import electricity produced in Azerbaijan to Europe via Georgia, Romania and Hungary, he said, noting this meant laying a 1,000km-plus high-voltage cable under the Black Sea and building related infrastructure.

This, he added, would enhance Hungary’s security and energy supply and would be “good for the whole of Europe”. “We hope the EU won’t back away from this,” he said.

October 13, 2023

Hungarian police do not allow a demonstration in support of Hamas in Budapest

The Budapest Police Headquarters (BRFK) said on Friday that demonstrating in support of a terrorist organisation was not permitted, and Budapest police will not allow a rally in support of Hamas to take place in the capital today.

A statement on the police.hu website notes that a private individual announced the intention of holding a rally in Budapest’s 2nd district in connection with the war between Israel and Hamas.

The police said the rally was prompted by a call by “the terrorist organisation” on its followers around the world to “demonstrate anger”.

The 2018 law on the right of assembly, it said, prohibited holding any assembly that directly imperilled public safety, and punitive action would be taken against anyone taking part in a prohibited assembly.

As we wrote today, Hungarians evacuated from Israel, details HERE.

Read more news about Israeli–Palestinian conflict

October 13, 2023