Hungary is an “island of tranquility” for its Jewish population even amid a growing wave of pro-Palestinian propaganda, the chief rabbi of the Dohány Street Synagogue, Róbert Frölich, has claimed.
In an interview with the Index news outlet, Frölich described Hungary as one of the safest places in Europe for Jews.
Asked whether Jews feel safe in Hungary, Frölich replied: “If you had asked me the same question a month ago, I don’t think I would have taken it seriously. But I have to say — to my own dismay — that today Hungary really does seem to be one of the safest countries. At least physically.
“With the police not allowing anti-Israel demonstrations, there are no marches, no stone-throwing, no flag-burning. It seems that Budapest, or rather Hungary, really is an island of tranquility,” Frölich added.
Two weeks ago, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted on X that “there will be no pro-terror demonstrations in Hungary,” as he vowed to “protect the people of Hungary.”
Asked whether the Jewish community will ask the authorities for the protection of its religious leaders and institutions, Frölich said: “We have already done this when flag-burning, Hamas-rigged demonstrations started in major European cities.
“We have protected Jewish institutions, Mazsihisz (an association of Jewish communities) has its own security service, but we have also had reinforced police support,” Frölich added.
Frölich said the Israel Defense Forces were acting in accordance with Jewish scripture by calling on the Gaza population to leave areas under bombardment before taking action.
“A little-known chapter of the Mosaic Law is the law of war, found in Deuteronomy. It says that if you declare war on a city before you take it, you should call for peace and surrender. The Israel Defense Forces, wittingly or unwittingly, act in this way when they call on the population to leave Gaza to the south,” he said.
“Unfortunately, in every war, there are civilian casualties,” he added.
