A group of Israeli Orthodox Jews was attacked by a group of German tourists last Friday night in downtown Budapest, further raising alarm bells in a city known for being a safe haven for Jews. Meanwhile, such incidents have been on the rise for years across Western Europe.
The men last Friday started shouting “Heil Hitler” at the Israelis, and a violent brawl ensued, with both parties suffering injuries. The police eventually arrived on scene and put an end to the fight. They also took one of the German attackers into custody.
One Israeli tourist was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, while one of the Germans was also admitted but with serious injuries, including a broken jaw, Neokohn writes, citing a report from the Action and Protection Foundation.
Just the day before, the portal also wrote about how Rabbi Izsák Stell was the victim of an anti-Semitic incident while praying in front of his car parked at the Újbuda synagogue. A man passing by gave him a Nazi salute, then yelled at him: “Achtung (Watch out in German) Jew! Auschwitz, Hitler!”
The rabbi ran after and took a photo of the perpetrator, and surveillance cameras recorded the incident as well. He has filed a report with the police.
In early April, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced Hungary was leaving the ICC over its arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who he received in Budapest amidst great fanfare.
Hungary has repeatedly been a staunch ally of Israel in various international forums, including the United Nations and the European Parliament. It has also been proud of its revival of Jewish life, culture, and synagogues in Budapest and the countryside.
Nevertheless, anti-Semitic incidents are far higher in neighboring Western European nations, mainly due to Muslim mass immigration. Tensions between Jews and Muslims have been high for years, but following Israel’s campaign in Gaza, anti-Semitic incidents have risen sharply.
