Israeli lawmakers inaugurate Herzl Center in Budapest
Center’s establishment marks first time the famed Zionist is being recognized in his hometown
Theodor Herzl, the father of Zionism, was born in Budapest; it is the first time that a center has been named for him in the city.
The Knesset members on Monday visited the Israeli Cultural Center, a nongovernmental organization supported by the Jewish Agency. They also met with a group of Hungarian lawmakers.
“We will not tolerate any kind of anti-Semitic aggression against the Jewish people,” Ilan Mor, Israeli ambassador to Hungary, said Monday night at the ICC gathering in front of the Israeli guests and members of the Hungarian Jewish community.
Mor also spoke positively about the official meeting in the Hungarian Parliament between the Israeli delegation and Hungarian lawmakers.
Anti-Semitism has risen significantly in Hungary since the ultra-rightist Jobbik party gained several seats in the parliament in the 2010 elections. According to recent official polls, the party has gained in popularity among Hungarians.