Your excellency, Ambassador Hadas-Handelsman

The State of Israel is experiencing what is probably its most serious internal crisis since the creation of the State in 1948. Beyond the political differences that are only natural in a democracy, Israeli society is now marred by a deep and dangerous split.

We are led by our Jewish democratic values and the open-minded and unifying Zionism of the founders of the State of Israel, and we cannot accept certain Israeli leaders making racist, homophobic, anti­democratic remarks.

We deplore any and all divisive action in Israeli society, the outrageous language, the questioning of equality of all Israeli citizens, the idea of disparity between the rights of men and women, the stigmatization of the Progressive religious movements and all the discourse on exclusion. Israelis must not become prisoners of electoral alliances that push their country towards a radicalization that is not in accordance with its history, nor compatible with the fundamental values of Judaism.

We Hungarian Jews and our organisations that are part of Hungarian public life, are in solidarity with Israel and wish to express our deep concern about what is currently taking place in the country.

As friends of Israel, we are worried and also affected by these events:

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  because the proposed changes to the rules of the Law of Return would impact us directly,
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  because any weakening of its democracy would alter the image of the State of Israel that we continuously defend
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  and would have a direct effect on the situation of the Jews in the Diaspora, therefore on us in Hungary too.

We proudly acknowledge the Israeli civil society which has immediately mobilized in all its glorious diversity. Despite a great variety of social, geographical and political horizons it stands united against this disturbing project of "judicial reform" that would lead to the questioning and weakening of the separation of powers and to the limitation of the legal scope of the Supreme Court, constituting a serious attack on the rule of law in Israel.

We support the initiatives of the President of the State, Isaac Herzog who has called for reason and for a return to moderation, dialogue and unity.

We call for respect for the greatest strength of the State of Israel: its democracy!

The 7 signatory organisations in alphabetical order :

Arzenu Hungary – Member of the Zionist Federation of Hungary, Delegate to WZO Congress

Bet Orim Reform Jewish Congregation

Golem Jewish Theatre Limmud Hungary Foundation

Maccabi VAC Hungary

Marom Club Association – Member of the Zionist Federation of Hungary, Delegate to WZO Congress

Sim Shalom Progressive Jewish Congregation

16th March 2023