Israel clarifies call to halt anti-Soros campaign

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a clarification of a statement made by its ambassador to Hungary denouncing a nationwide campaign targeting US billionaire George Soros, which Jewish leaders say is stoking anti-Semitic feelings.

“Israel deplores any expression of anti-Semitism in any country and stands with Jewish communities everywhere in confronting this hatred,” ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachson says in a statement.

“This was the sole purpose of the statement issued by Israel’s ambassador to Hungary. In no way was the statement meant to delegitimize criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel’s democratically elected governments by funding organizations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself,” Nachshon says.

The campaign is the fourth media blitz by the government this year against the EU and Soros for their alleged attacks on Hungary’s hard-line anti-immigration stance.

The row comes shortly before Netanyahu’s planned visit to Hungary next week, the first by an Israeli premier since the EU member’s transition from Communism in 1989.

— Raphael Ahren