In his reply to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s letter on the occasion of the Jewish New Year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked for Hungary’s long-standing commitment to Israel and Orbán’s friendship, Hungarian-language Jewish news and opinion portal Neokohn reports.
“Your personal friendship and long-standing commitment to the Hungarian-Israeli partnership has brought our governments and peoples closer together than ever before. I am confident that ever-improving cooperation will bring tangible benefits to future generations of our peoples,” Netanyahu wrote.
The content of the letter was shared with national news agency MTI by Orbán’s press secretary, Bertalan Havas. Netanyahu also expressed his gratitude to Hungary for the support it provides to Israel in the European Union and in international forums.
“I sincerely hope that next year will be spent in health, prosperity and peace. Thank you for your many years of friendship and best wishes,” reads Netanyahu’s letter.
Despite international media often portraying Hungary as anti-Semitic, the two countries — and their current leaders — have an excellent relationship and Jews are far safer in Hungary than in countries such as Sweden, France, and Germany.
As Remix News reported earlier, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó was the only European Union foreign minister to attend the signing of the U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace accord between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates last month in Washington.
“Hungary continues to support US efforts in the Middle East, we stand for Israel, and we stand for no double standards against Israel,” Szijjártó said at the time in Washington.
Hungary has pursued a foreign policy goal of being the most pro-Israel country in Europe.
Title image: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (L) shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference in Jerusalem on July 19, 2018. (Debbie Hill/pool photo via AP)
