Israel reportedly refused to sign joint statement criticizing Hungary’s discriminatory LGBTQ+ laws

Israel refused to join a joint statement signed by 37 Western countries calling on Hungary’s government to retract laws seen as limiting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, according to the Walla news site.

Citing Foreign Ministry officials, the report says the US State Department asked Israel to sign the statement — which was issued Friday before the Budapest Pride parade — but was turned down. Israel was reportedly wary of alienating Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government, which has blocked a number of EU measures against Jerusalem.

“We did not want to take part in an attack on Hungary’s government,” a senior ministry official is quoted as saying.

Besides the US, other countries that joined the statement included Ukraine and every EU country except Poland.