Hungary’s Iran Outreach Undercuts Israel, American Role in Middle Eeast

There is a reason why Viktor Orbán’s prayers “for the safety of the Israeli people” following Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel might ring hollow. Given that it comes from a darling of the MAGA right and a self-styled defender of a Christian Europe, Orbán’s long-standing relationship with the Islamic Republic should raise more than a few eyebrows in the United States.

Under Orbán’s premiership, Hungary has been extraordinarily sensitive to accusations of antisemitism. In the past, those were prompted (somewhat spuriously) by the government’s campaigns against George Soros, as well as (less spuriously) by its efforts to whitewash controversial figures in Hungary’s own wartime history. In addition to the warm ties between Fidesz and Likud, pro-Orbán voices emphasize the revival of Jewish life in the country, facilitated by its safety and absence of hate crimes and its support for Israel in international fora. It has been reported, for instance, that at Israel’s request Hungary blocked EU Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

About the Author

Dalibor Rohac

Dalibor Rohac is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

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There is a reason why Viktor Orbán’s prayers “for the safety of the Israeli people” following Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel might ring hollow. Given that it comes from a darling of the MAGA right and a self-styled defender of a Christian Europe, Orbán’s long-standing relationship with the Islamic Republic should raise more than a few eyebrows in the United States.

Under Orbán’s premiership, Hungary has been extraordinarily sensitive to accusations of antisemitism. In the past, those were prompted (somewhat spuriously) by the government’s campaigns against George Soros, as well as (less spuriously) by its efforts to whitewash controversial figures in Hungary’s own wartime history. In addition to the warm ties between Fidesz and Likud, pro-Orbán voices emphasize the revival of Jewish life in the country, facilitated by its safety and absence of hate crimes and its support for Israel in international fora. It has been reported, for instance, that at Israel’s request Hungary blocked EU Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.