Israel and Hungary: A Very Special Relationship | Danube Knowledge

When Benjamin Netanyahu flew into Budapest in April 2025, he triggered a political earthquake.

Wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza, the Israeli Prime Minister risked arrest in nearly every European capital. Yet here he was warmly welcomed: the red carpets rolled out, and within days, Hungary announced it would leave the ICC altogether, calling it a “political court.”

Why does Hungary stand apart, not just from the EU, but from the entire liberal international order?

In this episode of Danube Knowledge, host Adam LeBor takes the long view on Hungary’s embrace of Israel, and what it tells us about shifting alliances in the 21st century. He’s joined by Senior Researcher Peter Szitas, co-author of a landmark paper on Hungarian-Israeli relations, and by Researcher Daniel Farkas.

Danube Knowledge is the research brand of the Danube Institute, a Budapest-based think tank, specialising in Hungarian affairs, conservatism and geo-economics.