The new Austrian government headed by Sebastian Kurtz has included in its manifesto a specific reference to the Jewish character of Israel, according to a Yisrael Hayom report.
This is the first time that the Austrian government has explicitly recognized Israel as a Jewish state. Among European nations, only Germany has previously recognized Israel as a Jewish state.
The new manifesto also referred to Austrian responsibility and blame for the Holocaust which is also an unprecedented step and demonstrates the new government's wish to maintain positive relations with Israel and with the Jewish community worldwide.