Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó on Tuesday condemned the EU’s “one-sided” statements on Israel as other European officials demanded a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, AFP reported.

“I have a general problem with these European statements on Israel…,” Szijjártó told AFP. “These are usually very much one-sided, and these statements do not help, especially not under current circumstances, when the tension is so high.”

All of the EU’s member states supported the statement of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel on Tuesday calling for a ceasefire except Hungary.

Szijjártó also expressed messages of support for Israel on other occasions and condemned the Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.

In May 2020, Hungary and Austria were the only two EU member states to oppose threatening Israel with sanctions if it pursued annexing parts of Judea and Samaria. Later that month, Szijjártó spoke to Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and told him that Hungary will “refrain from supporting statements that condemn Israel in both the EU and the UN.”

Thank you, Minister Szijjarto for expressing Hungary’s solidarity with Israel at this crucial moment.

— Mona Abramson (@abramson_mona) May 12, 2021

The embassy of the “State of Palestine” slammed Szijjártó’s remarks:

PRESS STATEMENT:
The embassy of the State of Palestine in Hungary deeply regrets the recent remarks by HE Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó regarding the escalating aggression by Israel, the occupying Power, in Occupied Palestinehttps://t.co/Zj0OO3svGx#Palestine #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/Qi2q4BLAV6

— Palestine Embassy in Hungary (@EmbassyHungary) May 14, 2021

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)