Israel normalizes relations with Austria's far-right party FPÖ

Netanyahu's cabinet has also changed its attitude towards the Austrian far right, which it had kept a harsh distance from in the past.

In 2000, when Israel became the government partner of the Freedom Party (FPÖ), founded by former Nazis, it withdrew its ambassador from Vienna and supported the international condemnation campaign.

Nowadays, Tel Aviv has tried to normalize relations with the FPÖ. Minister Chikli described FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl's commitment to include "the fight against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism" in his possible ruling program as a "historical turning point".

In the dialogue that the Israeli administration has developed with far-right figures in Sweden, Spain and England, common concerns about Muslim immigration to the West come to the fore.

The hosting of British far-right agitator Tommy Robinson in Israel last year and his views on radical Islam was met with reaction in the British Jewish community.

Despite warm ties with hard-right leaders elected in Latin America in Argentina and Colombia, Israel has not yet opened the door to official contact with the Germany for Germany (AfD) party.

Jeremy Issacharoff, who served as Israel's Ambassador to Berlin between 2017 and 2022, noted that far-right groups in Europe turned to Israel in order to get rid of their past antisemitic baggage.

In his statement to the AFP agency, Issacharoff stated that these structures provide a kind of legitimacy by establishing contact with Israel and said, "I can see what they gain from this, but for Israel, it only harms its values ​​and international position."

Issacharoff emphasized that Israeli right-wingers, who want to balance the criticism of Gaza rising from center and left politics, see this rapprochement as a leverage, but emphasized that the security of local Jewish communities in countries such as France and Austria must be taken into consideration.