Hungary's likely next prime minister, Peter Magyar, on Monday said that he would block proposals for the European Union to sanction Israel in one of the few policy positions aligned with those of outgoing nationalist leader, Viktor Orban.
Mr Magyar's stance on Israel drew relatively little attention amid a wave of promises to overhaul Hungary's policies after Mr Orban's 16-year rule, which strained relations with Brussels, particularly due to his close ties with Moscow.
“We will do everything to restore the rule of law, plural democracy, and the system of checks and balances,” Mr Magyar said. He promised that Budapest would stop blocking a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan for Ukraine, while also warning he would not support a fast-track entry of Ukraine into the EU.
Pragmatism
Yet an enduring commitment to Israel was among the points highlighted by Mr Magyar, one day after a landslide victory. “We strive for a pragmatic relationship,” Mr Magyar said. Cautioning that he did not want to “rush ahead” in deciding how Budapest should position itself in EU decisions, he added that “Hungary will continue to block EU decisions regarding Israel”.
“We will see when and what decision the EU makes and what is the interest, what is the truth,” Mr Magyar said.
In a post on X, Mr Netanyahu's office said he extended his “deep appreciation” for Mr Orban, “who stood firmly by Israel's side in the face of unjust international vilification”. The Israeli leader also congratulated Mr Magyar for his election victory and looked forward to “continuing our co-operation for the benefit of both our peoples”.
Hungary's president, a largely ceremonial figure, must convene a new parliament within 30 days of an election. Politicians then elect a new prime minister.
Under Mr Orban, Hungary angered EU states by persistently vetoing aid packages to Ukraine, but also sanctions against Israel that require unanimous support. However, consensus among EU states on sanctioning Israel is far weaker than backing for Ukraine, with major states including Germany, Italy and France reluctant to take punitive measures.
More recently, the EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas voiced frustration at Hungary for opposing a package of sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the occupied territories. “We don't do what the majority wants, but actually we are doing what this one country wants,” Ms Kallas said in February, without naming Hungary.
It is viewed as poor form for EU institutional leaders to berate the bloc's member states in public, though EU Council President Antonio Costa last month made unusually blunt remarks over Hungary's “blackmail” on financial support to Ukraine.
Lebanon tension
Tension over Israel have resurfaced with the escalation of its military operations against Lebanon. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel.
The EU took no action taken last year despite an internal EU report finding in June that Israel was in breach of a human rights clause enshrined in the agreement – due to its conduct in Gaza.
This prompted the Commission to table sanctions proposals, including a suspension of a preferential trade deal with Israel at an estimated yearly cost for Israel of €227 million ($265 million) requiring a qualified majority vote. Yet they were shelved in October following a US brokered ceasefire in Gaza.
One policy shift under Mr Magyar that could affect Hungarian-Israeli relations was his pledge to seek re-entry into the International Criminal Court. Mr Orban has announced last year Hungary's withdrawal from the ICC in parallel with a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest. The court had issued an arrest warrant against him for war crimes in Gaza.
Mr Magyar also said the election result showed that Hungary had decided to “change the regime” and choose a pro-European path. “Hungarian people yesterday, exactly 23 years after the referendum about our EU membership, confirmed Hungary's place in Europe,” he said.
The Kremlin said Russia respected the choice of Hungarian voters and would continue what it called “pragmatic ties” with the new government in Budapest.
