The Czech Republic has “always, always” been an advocate for Israel in the European Union and will remain so, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka told The Times of Israel this week.

Macinka spoke from his hotel in Jerusalem on Tuesday, visiting days after the electoral defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, widely seen as Israel’s most reliable ally in Europe.

Though Hungary is expected to remain a solid friend of Israel, the change of leadership has brought a new focus to the Czech role in pushing back on EU countries more hostile to Israel.

Even countries that have been close to Israel have moved away from it since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack and war in Gaza. On Tuesday, Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Rome would not be renewing its defense agreement with Israel.

In September, the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, presented a proposal for sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers and a partial suspension of Israel’s association agreement with the EU over alleged humanitarian violations in Gaza. The sanctions were not immediately approved, and the effort, which requires unanimous support from the bloc’s member countries, remains frozen.

Macinka, 47, said that his country doesn’t hide its position on Israel from other EU states.

“We tell them all the time that there is a special tie between the Czech Republic and Israel,” he said. “We have the traditional, longstanding friendship for decades between the Czech Republic and Israel, so we work together with the Israeli government. And we discuss some crazy ideas that come from the European Union from time to time.”

Throughout the conflict that erupted with the October 7 attack, the Czech Republic emerged as one of Israel’s most consistent backers in forums like the United Nations and the EU — often in coordination with countries like Hungary, Austria, Germany and Romania.

Israel enjoys the support of those countries, and Macinka noted that there are also pan-European parties for whom backing Israel is a core tenet. The ruling Czech ANO 2011 party is a member of the Patriots for Europe, a grouping of right-wing and far-right parties.

“All of them, they have a quite strong position that’s very positive to Israel,” he said. “There is a power that understands Israel, that understands the situation, and........

© The Times of Israel