Andor Grósz, president of Mazsihisz, conveyed the solidarity of Hungarian Jews during his meetings in Israel

Andor Grósz, president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz), expressed the solidarity of Hungarian Jews during the negotiations with Israel's leading politicians in Jerusalem this week.

During his five-day visit, the head of the largest religious organization of Hungarian Jewry held discussions with several key players in Israeli political life.

On Thursday, President Isaac Herzog received him at his residence in Jerusalem. Among other topics, they discussed the war against the Palestinian radical organization Hamas, and the assistance provided by Hungary and Hungarian Jewry to Israel.

Herzog expressed his appreciation for Hungary's consistent support to Israel's interests in international diplomacy. Reflecting on the meeting, Andor Grósz told the MTI correspondent that Herzog was keenly interested in the current problems of the Hungarian Jewry, inquired about the institutions run by Mazsihisz, and discussed the anti-Semitism that is rising in various forms in different parts of the world.

"While elsewhere Jews are forced to limit the way they live their identity on a daily basis, in Hungary they can continue to practice their culture and religion safely and peacefully. On the occasionof the 80^th anniversary of the Hungarian Holocaust, various opportunities for cooperation were discussed, including the possible visit of the head of state of Israel to Hungary," said the president of the Federation.

During the week, the leader of Mazsihisz held talks with Benny Gantz and Gideon Sa’ar, two ministers of the war cabinet. Both emphasized the complexity of the war situation, especially the fact that, in addition to the operation in Gaza, it is also necessary to defend against the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, moreover, more than a hundred thousand people had to be relocated from settlements close to Lebanon.

The president of Mazsihisz visited the Beeri kibbutz near the Gaza border and expressed his sympathy for one of the communities that suffered the most. The Hungarian Jewish organization had previously supported the kibbutz in various ways. In Beeri, he handed over a donation collected by Mazsihisz and the Budapest Jewish Community.

Andor Grósz met with Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, as well as former defense and foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, with whom he also discussed war issues.

He met also Yair Lapid, who has Hungarian ancestors and who is the son of former Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Tomi Lapid. At the meeting, the role of Hungarian Jewry as a bridge between Israel and Hungary was discussed.

Hungarian News Agency - MTI