France has summoned US Ambassador Charles Kushner after he publicly accused President Macron’s government of failing to stem a dramatic rise in antisemitism. In his letter, he spoke of street assaults, vandalized synagogues, and defaced schools—echoing data showing roughly 1,570 acts in 2024, a historic surge.
Israel has recovered the body of Ilan Weiss, a 56-year-old hostage of Hungarian origin, from Gaza. Weiss was killed defending Kibbutz Be’eri during Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack. His wife and daughter, once hostages themselves, were freed last November and later visited Hungary.
Irish rap group Kneecap announced the cancellation of its sold-out US tour as member Liam Ó hAnnaidh faces terrorism charges in London. The decision comes weeks after Hungary banned the band from performing at Budapest’s Sziget Festival.
The Hungarian airline is planning to open a hub at Tel Aviv airport, but Israeli competitors may easily stand in its way. Executives of El Al have even lodged a complaint directly with Prime Minister Netanyahu against Wizz Air’s expansion.
‘A diplomatic solution is necessary to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. While the specifics are not yet fully developed, some plans are already publicly known.’
Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host potential Putin–Zelenskyy talks to end the war in Ukraine. With Trump’s administration eyeing Budapest as a possible location, the city has emerged as a strong contender—but also a divisive one, drawing a sharp rebuke from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who warned against repeating past failures.
After the European Council meeting on the Alaska summit, Viktor Orbán argued that Brussels’ Ukraine strategy had collapsed—its isolation policy, battlefield expectations, and membership promises as security guarantee all failed. With Trump’s team eyeing Budapest as the venue for a potential Putin–Zelenskyy summit, Hungary’s influence in Europe could be significantly bolstered.
‘If the government of Israel continues to cause the expense and bureaucratic harassment for the granting of routine visas that for decades have been routine, I will have no other choice than to instruct our consular section to review options for reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens seeking visas to the United States.’
‘When Israeli cities burned and much of Europe hid behind legalese, it was Serbia loading pallets of 155 mm shells, the Czech Republic dispatching armour plates, and Hungary vetoing hostile resolutions and defending Israel on the world stage. They may not be Europe’s largest economies or loudest voices, but they acted decisively when it mattered most. ‘
Is Israel prepared for any unexpected scenario of war? What was the casus belli, and what is the war goal for the Jewish state? Can Israel’s Palestinian and Iranian policies be defended? We asked Israel’s ambassador to Hungary about the war.