Israel courts European far-right parties despite antisemitism concerns

Israel is increasingly allying itself with far-right parties in Europe, despite some of those parties' histories of antisemitism, as it faces growing international isolation over the war in Gaza, according to AFP. 1 The clearest case is Austria's Freedom Party (FPO). Israel recalled its ambassador from Vienna in 2000 when the party, founded by former Nazis, joined government, and an official boycott has stood since; Netanyahu's government has now moved to normalise ties. 1 2 In mid-September FPO leader Herbert Kickl gave a speech in Strasbourg in which, according to Anadolu commentator Farid Hafez, he said the party must confront its history, affirmed Israel's "right to exist", endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and pledged to move Austria's embassy to Jerusalem if he became chancellor. AFP reports he vowed that a government of his would combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism. 2 1

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called the remarks an "important and positive development", and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, who leads Israel's work against antisemitism, hailed a "historic turning point". Anadolu's commentary adds that Likud, an observer member of the Patriots for Europe bloc, took part in the event and called the FPO "friends of Israel and the Jewish people", and that Austria's Jewish community has not welcomed the FPO's shift. 2 1 Israel has courted other European far-right figures too, in Sweden, Spain and Britain, with Israeli politicians bonding over concerns about Muslim migration. Jewish groups in Britain voiced alarm after Israel welcomed Tommy Robinson last year, and Sa'ar recently phoned the leader of the Reform Party to praise his opposition to new UK sanctions on goods from settlements. 1 After a French investigative site alleged that National Rally leader Jordan Bardella made derogatory remarks about Jews as a teenager, Chikli defended him as "one of the clearest voices in Europe against Hamas". Germany's AfD remains shunned by Israeli officials. 1

Jeremy Issacharoff, Israel's ambassador in Berlin from 2017 to 2022, told AFP that such parties get "a sort of kosher certificate" while Israel suffers damage to its values and standing. Analyst Azriel Bermant said Netanyahu also wants to drive wedges within Europe and expects the approach to change if Netanyahu loses elections on 27 October. An anonymous former Israeli ambassador warned that gluing Israel to the radical right "paints" it a certain colour. 1 Hafez offers four reasons for the shift: the far right's growth in Europe, its recasting as anti-Muslim defenders of a "Judeo-Christian" Europe, its growing normalisation inside Israel (including a visit by FPO MEP Harald Vilimsky to Netanyahu's office), and diplomacy becoming a more critical arena than the military one. He says it remains to be seen whether this becomes an official shift, as the boycott was still on the books last year. 2