Speaking about Hungary-Israel relations in an interview with Mandiner, Bin-Noun, who was Israel’s ambassador in Budapest between 2007 and 2011, underlined that this “quality relationship” is not only the fruit of the past few years, but started earlier and steadily expanded. She said that good relations between the two big right-wing political parties, Likud and Fidesz, is not at all surprising.
The Hungarian government often carried the stigma of anti-Semitism; however, even back in 2010, it already made pro-Israel statements, and this has not changed in recent years, she added.
She stressed that the reason Jewish organizations in Hungary no longer raise the threat of anti-Semitism in Hungary is that the Hungarian government has indeed taken action to curb anti-Semitism.
“I have followed the statements of the Hungarian prime minister and several government politicians, and I have seen that they have been clear about this,” she said. “The government has done a lot, with concrete measures.”
Whether it is Holocaust education, remembrance policy, financial support for Jewish denominations or the application of zero tolerance toward anti-Semitism, Jewish communities have no reason to feel unsafe or neglected in Hungary.
It is always a pleasure to hear Israel directly acknowledge the actions being taken by our government to counter anti-Semitism.