Far-right Hungarian premier Viktor Orbán has claimed that his refusal to help Ukraine is a “pro-peace position.” Yet Hungary is also the only EU state that openly backs an Israeli attack on Rafah — showing the hypocrisy of Orbán’s supposed pacifism.

F | or almost two years, European Union (EU) leaders have chided Hungarian premier Viktor Orbán for his willingness to block critical aid to Ukraine. The divide between Hungary and the EU has only grown since the Financial Times reported that Brussels was ready to hit Hungary’s economy if Orbán vetoed another aid package for Kyiv. In domestic propaganda, Orbán’s support for Vladimir Putin is framed as a sensible “pro-peace” position. Yet the apocalyptic destruction of Gaza proves what a farce this supposed stance really is. Hungary is the only EU member state that hasn’t called on Israel to halt its planned ground offensive in Rafah.

It seems like Orbán is content with the indiscriminate bombing of refugee camps, hospitals, ambulances, residential buildings, schools, universities, libraries, and religious sites, so long as the victims are Palestinians. Orbán has, indeed, repeatedly called for a cease-fire in Ukraine but refused to call for one in Gaza. At the United Nations, Hungary consistently votes “No” to resolutions protecting civilians in Gaza and calling for a cease-fire — one of a handful of states to take this line.

Across Europe, millions of people are protesting against Israel, and human rights organizations warn that Israel may be committing war crimes and genocide. The October 7 attacks cannot possibly justify such Israeli retaliation, which has now killed well over 30,000 people. Yet Orbán’s support for Benjamin Netanyahu is steadfast. After the latest International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling and desperate warnings by human rights experts, even Western states are toning down earlier uncritical support for Israel. But Hungary doesn’t seem to be qualifying its support for Tel Aviv just yet.

It’s an indefensible moral failure. Shamefully, it’s one shared by both Orbán’s government and the mainstream opposition.

read more: https://jacobin.com/2024/03/orban-israel-rafah-ukraine-hypocrisy/