According to reports, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is sending his envoy, Gergely Gulyas, to Israel next week to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gulyas heads the Hungarian Prime Minister’s office and will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high-ranking Israeli officials. The visit will be the first by a Hungarian official since the new far-right government was sworn in.
Netanyahu’s recent actions to appoint pro-government judges in Israel’s judicial system have sparked concern among the Israelis and the Democratic nations supporting Israel for being the only Democracy in the Middle East.
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In Israel, many have been protesting against these moves for 19 consecutive weeks, fearing that the country’s democratic principles will be destroyed and lead to a system akin to those seen in Poland and Hungary.
As Netanyahu’s new government looks to limit the power of Israel’s judiciary, critics are drawing comparisons between Israel and Hungary, where Prime Minister Orban has implemented similar measures over the past decade. These moves have raised concerns that Israel’s democratic values may be further eroded if they are not halted.
In March, Pawel Jablonski, the Polish Deputy Foreign Minister, also stated in a local media interview that Israel had consulted with Poland regarding reforming its judicial system.
However, it is unclear whether the Hungarian envoy’s visit to Israel was intended to provide advice on suppressing the ongoing protests against the government.
Orban’s Fidesz party has been accused of politicizing the courts since coming to power in 2010, which has been seen as a significant contributor to the country’s democratic backsliding.
Despite this, Netanyahu has maintained close ties with Orban and has praised him for his leadership. The two leaders have been looking to further their bilateral ties and strengthen their personal connection and this visit is seen as an important step towards achieving that goal.
Hungary has strongly supported Israel in the European Union and has blocked several attempts to issue statements critical of Israeli policies. In 2020, Hungary was one of the few countries that did not speak out against Israel’s now-scuppered plan to annex parts of the West Bank.
The visit by Gergely Gulyas to Israel is an important event for both governments, and political observers around the world will closely watch it.
