Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday met his Hungarian counterpart, András Baka, and Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar in Budapest, conducting the highest-level exchange since the current government took power earlier this year.
Herzog attended a working lunch with Magyar and senior ministers in the Hungarian government, according to the Israeli president’s office. Herzog invited Magyar to visit Israel, which Magyar said he would do, without specifying a time.
Herzog told Magyar he appreciated Hungary’s “clear and unequivocal stand against antisemitism,” Herzog’s office said, adding that he’d invited Magyar to visit Israel.
Herzog and Magyar “discussed the relations between Israel and Hungary, advancing bilateral cooperation, and Israel’s relations with the European Union,” Herzog said, as well as”challenges facing the Middle East and Europe.”
Magyar’s party, Tisza, won the general election in April, unseating former prime minister Viktor Orbán ’s Fidesz as the ruling party.
Orbán had presided as prime minister consecutively for 16 years. Under Orbán, Hungary was one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the European Union, with which the Orbán administration frequently clashed.
“I am so happy to be here in Budapest with our friend Prime Minister Magyar, who is such a great leader. Thank you for your kind hospitality and good luck for all you are doing. We invite you to Israel and I look forward to seeing you in Israel.” Herzog said at the meeting.
Magyar said: “Mr. President, it was a pleasure and a real privilege to have you here in Budapest. All the best to you and to your nation. Thank you for visiting us, and see you in Israel.”
In Herzog’s meeting with Baka, Herzog thanked Baka for his “warm welcome” and congratulated him for his election by parliament in August.
“We discussed the deep and historic ties between Israel and Hungary, and I invited President Baka to visit Israel,” Herzog said. “I expressed my appreciation to President Baka for Hungary’s strong and unwavering stand against antisemitism and attempts to delegitimize the State of Israel. We pledged to keep working together to fight Jew-hatred in all its forms.
