Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary firmly condemns the drone and missile strikes on Israel and stands by the Middle Eastern country.
Minister Szijjártó said in a video message on Facebook that the ministry’s latest updates indicate that none of the dual Israeli-Hungarian citizens or Hungarians temporarily staying in Israel were affected by the attack. He said Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel carried a bigger risk of escalation in the Middle East than any of the past developments in the region and could even threaten global security. Minister Szijjártó said it was no accident that the international community, including Hungary, had been underlining the need to avoid escalation and the importance of acting responsibly over the past months of the Middle East conflict. Hungary firmly condemns the attack on Israel, the minister said, reaffirming Budapest’s support for the Middle Eastern country. “Our number one job in this conflict is, of course, to ensure the safety of the Hungarian people,” Minister Szijjártó said. “Therefore, our embassies in the region are on 24-hour duty. The missions in Israel, Iran, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon are all involved in the work.”
Minister Szijjártó also spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, by phone on Sunday. Minister Szijjártó said on Facebook that he and Katz had discussed the situation following Saturday night’s attack on Israel. “I reassured my counterpart of Hungary’s solidarity with Israel and the Israeli people, and made it clear that we firmly condemn the attack on the country,” the minister said. Szijjártó emphasised that Hungary, as a member of the international community, had in the recent period continuously argued against escalation. He added that he had expressed hope that an escalation that would threaten global security could still be prevented. “Hungary stands by Israel in these difficult days,” he said.