Moscow has failed to condemn the 7 October Hamas attack as terrorism, and Putin has likened the Gaza blockade by Israel to the siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany, effectively poisoning the previously amicable Russia–Israel relations.
Although a defining part of Netanyahu’s image is that of ‘Mr Security’, and he has even been nicknamed ‘King Bibi’, the spectacular fiasco of a 1997 Mossad operation he had ordered also earned him the epithet ‘Israel’s serial bungler’.
Israel had to postpone their last two European Championship qualifiers last month due to the Hamas attacks. Now, as Israel is not yet safe enough to host football games for their national team, they found their temporary home at the Pancho Arena in Felcsút, Hungary. This is not the first time Hungary provides a temporary home turf for a foreign football team.
Since the stadium is located within a rural community, the impact of its external facades may be limited. However, its internal architecture, expressed through elements such as soaring roof extensions that break the monotony of the exterior shell, creates an intimate and captivating atmosphere. These glimpses into the arena’s interior offer an enticing taste of the intense battles happening on the ‘pitch.’
The recent outbreak of violence in the Middle East may soon lead to the opening of another front, where Israel would clash with Hezbollah. But what is this Lebanese Shia organization, and how did it come to be?
Can Netanyahu survive as prime minister in the wake of the Hamas attack? Are Jews really safer in Israel today than in the Diaspora? Hard questions that need to be asked.
‘The path to peace in the Middle East is clear and straightforward, it’s about having the political will…If we can envision a world in which world powers actively check the Islamic Republic regime or even support the Iranian people in their quest for freedom to overthrow this regime and return to Iran’s ancient noble history, we could eliminate 90 per cent of the destabilization in the region. From there, we would work towards more peace deals between Israel and its Arab neighbours, building on the successful model of the Abraham Accords.’
Wizz Air has cancelled all flights to Israel until 15 November but is continuously reviewing the situation. The airline is in constant contact with Israeli, Hungarian, and international authorities, monitoring the events in Israel.
In an interview with Hungarian news website Index, Mazsihisz Chief Rabbi Róbert Frölich declared that Budapest and Hungary as a whole are ‘an island of peace’ for the Jewish community.
The Florida-based conservative commentator reminded all that Hamas has always had a tendency to use their own people as human shields with ‘their leaders in Doha, Qatar, living a lavish life right now’.