Ensuring that Jews have a future in Europe is part of a fight for the soul of Europe, Hungarian European Union Affairs Minister and envoy for combating antisemitism János Bóka said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. He did not believe that the fight was yet lost, though EU states would need to work together to counter the plague of antisemitism that afflicted all their countries.
Hungary, like other member EU states, had issues with antisemitism, said Bóka. A “zero tolerance policy” toward antisemitism in political activity had to be reinforced, including a refusal to cooperate with those who used antisemitism for political gain. While “traditional forms of antisemitism” were still present throughout Europe, he believed that it was becoming politically irrelevant in Hungary. His priority was to confront the antisemitism brewed by radical Islam and radical left-wing movements.
“In western parts of Europe, radical Islam and the radical Left have been building a new antisemitic narrative based on anti-Zionism and anti-Israeli hatred. This has been going under the radar for several years now,” said Bóka. “There has been a change in the structure, the vocabulary, and the communication strategy of antisemitic forces.”
Some Western European political leaders had rejected this disguised antisemitism, but the minister warned that some had cooperated or flirted with the movement out of “political convenience.” Many carriers of the new strains of antisemitism lay dormant until triggered by “some kind of a pretext to reactivate and reinforce these networks.”
European countries had a 'perverse reaction' post October 7
After an initial but quickly passing outpouring of sympathy for the victims of the October 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas terrorists, European countries soon had a “perverse reaction,” Bóka noted, with antisemitism rising dramatically in European countries in the wake of the 2023 Hamas-led pogrom in southern Israel. However, he said, that was not the case in Hungary.
“We have also seen a marginal rise in antisemitic incidents, but not immediately after the event around Gaza, but as an indirect effect of the rising and activated antisemitic networks in Western Europe that also found connections to Hungarian stakeholders,” said Bóka. “These are minor and isolated incidents, and the Hungarian government’s firm zero-tolerance policy toward antisemitism hasn’t changed. It has been reinforced.”
Bóka said that Hungary had avoided the same developments as Western Europe because the movements that facilitated the post October 7 reaction had not been allowed to seed the ground in his country.
“In Hungary, those migration and demographic tendencies that are now visible in Western Europe did not materialize because of our very strict policies on illegal migration, which means that for those of us in Hungary, there is no fertile ground for the radical Islam that is one of the driving forces behind the new type of antisemitism. In Hungary, there is no organized political Islam whatsoever,” said Bóka.
The antisemitism envoy said that the other reason that the new antisemitism had not flourished in his country was that “the Hungarian government and Hungarian society are perfectly aware that the attack on Jewish communities and the rise of antisemitism is a fight for the soul of Europe.”
“It’s an attack on our European civilization and our cultural heritage, which is based on the Judeo-Christian heritage and civilization,” he continued. “There is very strong support in Hungarian society for these Judeo-Christian civilizational pillars. And people perfectly understand that an attack on the Jewish communities is an attack on our European way of life.
“There is very strong solidarity for Jewish communities, not only in Hungary, but also everywhere in Europe, because they are being regarded as representatives of the cultural foundation on which the very idea of Europe is built.”
When a country made a mistake with its migration policies, said Bóka, it was difficult to reverse course, because it led to integration issues and subsequent public safety issues. While each EU member state had its sovereign right to make policy that was in its best interests, the EU minister said that Hungary could lead by example on this issue and that of antisemitism.
Every state had its own social reality and political environment, so there were no transplantable Hungarian policies that could improve the antisemitism situation. But it was possible to show that a European state could “maintain a safe and welcoming society for Jewish communities.”
“If I look at the fact that Jewish communities in Hungary are now safe. Tens of thousands of Israeli tourists are visiting Hungary and can walk on the streets and live their lives as Israelis and Jews without any concern. Jewish communities are thriving in Hungary and are actually increasing in numbers. I believe that these are the most important manifestations of the success of the Hungarian government’s policies,” said Bóka.
He noted that on December 3, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had participated in the inauguration of a newly renovated Jewish hospital in Budapest. After many years, the government was pleased to have contributed to one of the only Jewish hospitals in the region.
Orban appointed a minister to combat antisemitism and foster Jewish life, because the government views rising antisemitism in the continent as a key challenge to European society and way of life, Bóka said. The minister explained that his knowledge of European institutions and politics was vital in addressing a problem that was not limited by borders.
“Fighting antisemitism requires political commitment and political ownership. So it’s not a technical issue, it’s not a bureaucratic issue. It’s not simply a professional issue that some government departments are entrusted with, but it’s a political issue you need. You need a clear political statement that Jewish communities must be safe, must be welcome, and that Jewish life must be supported and fostered in Europe, because it’s part of our civilization, part of our culture,” he said. “This is a European challenge that needs a coordinated European response.”
Bóka sought to rally Europe to address rising antisemitism by raising the issue at every EU General Affairs Council session, working with colleagues from states such as Austria, France, Italy, and the Czech Republic. The minister believed that many tools at the EU’s disposal could stem the tide of Jew-hatred, such as terrorism lists. These could be honed to better identify actors who incited antisemitism and sought to use the animus for political purposes.
In cooperation with the EU Commission’s own antisemitism envoy, Katharina von Schnurbein, Bóka wanted to hold European Union-funded NGOs to greater scrutiny, contending that some had flirted with antisemitism and supported entities that threatened European Jewish communities. The proliferation of hate crimes, hate speech, and antisemitic political organizations online made antisemitism a cross-border challenge that “no member state can tackle on their own,” he pointed out.
Bóka has called for cooperation to reinforce monitoring and filtering standards for online service providers and platforms. The government was supportive of monitoring initiatives, such as a program run by the local Action and Protection Foundation, which Bóka said could also create those wronged with a way to lodge a complaint.
“We should upgrade EU programs to fight antisemitism, protect Jewish communities, and foster Jewish life,” said Bóka. “I believe that the resources that we spend on the European level for these purposes should reflect the gravity of the challenge.”
Cooperation with EU states isn’t the only collaboration necessary to combat antisemitism, according to the envoy. His government also believes that it is vital to work on the issue with the State of Israel. With much of the antisemitism operating under the guise of anti-Zionism, credibility would be lost if Israel were excluded as a strategic and consulting partner.
He explained that Hungary had become well-situated to be a conduit of collaboration with the Jewish state, due to a “network of personal, cultural, and business ties between Hungary and Israel.”
“In Hungary, we have one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. These Jewish communities have strengthened ties with the State of Israel, which also connects Hungary to the State of Israel,” explained Bóka. “There is also a sizable Jewish community in Israel with Hungarian roots and origins, and we feel responsibility for this community as well. We look at this community as another tie that connects Israel to Hungary”.
Hungary considers Israel to be strategically aligned with it on matters of illegal immigration, regional stability, energy security, and protection of relevant global supply chains.
“There are several mutually beneficial economic ventures in a number of areas, including defense, agriculture, and energy. They are actively looking for ways to increase the scope of this partnership,” said Bóka.
“Hungary is open for business and open for culture and scientific exchanges – even in a worsening European environment, where some are considering sanctions, or isolations, or cutting ties with the Israeli research and scientific community,” he said. “We are doing exactly the opposite.”
The desire to increase cooperation was not just strategic or economic, according to Bóka, but also ideological. A kinship was identified in Israel as an island “of national sovereignty and common sense.”
“There is very good political chemistry and understanding between the governments of Hungary and Israel, because we both believe in national sovereignty. We both believe in a society built on Judeo-Christian values, and we both believe that there can be meaningful cooperation between sovereign countries, if you put national interest at the focus of these activities,” said Bóka.
The fight against antisemitism and the fostering of Jewish life in Hungary is personal for Bóka. In his office is a statuette of former prime minister David Ben-Gurion performing a handstand. Bóka said that it was like having a small figurine of his grandfather, who reminded him of the Israeli founder.
Bóka’s grandfather was a Jewish Holocaust survivor who lost his entire family. The envoy spoke fondly of the familial patriarch, recalling that the Ben-Gurion doppelganger was not only his grandfather but also his best friend. He said that he was doing his best to make his grandfather proud.
While Bóka’s personal experience forms a strong motivation for his work, he said that his chief priority was his general responsibility to Europe and particular loyalty to Hungary. Throughout history, the conditions of Jews in Europe had been a test of European society’s health; if the system failed, it meant sweeping changes in the continent’s culture, civilization, and potential loss of its identity.
“No matter how strong you are as a country, and how coherent you are as a nation, you cannot exist as an island forever. So you need to do something in Europe if you want to preserve Hungary and Hungarian society as it is; you need to work with Europe and with European partners,” said Bóka.
He stressed that he and his country had a historical responsibility to continue the fight, though “some feel that this fight is already lost and that there is no future for Jewish communities in Europe.”
“I believe that this fight is not lost yet, and it makes sense to invest effort, time, and money in making sure that Jewish communities have a future in Europe,” said Bóka. “This is crucial, because Europe without the Jewish communities – it’s not Europe anymore. It’s something else; it will change profoundly. I cannot identify with what Europe would become without the Jewish community.”