Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Wednesday in Jerusalem with Kálmán Szalai, President of Hungary’s Action and Protection Foundation (TEV), a leading European watchdog combating antisemitism.
Szalai presented TEV’s advanced monitoring system, developed by top experts, which tracks antisemitic content on social media and reports it to authorities when necessary. He explained that much of today’s antisemitic rhetoric not only spreads hatred but also denies Israel’s right to exist or seeks to justify Hamas terrorism. The system is already in use in Germany and Austria, and TEV aims to expand it to most EU countries within the next year.
The Hungarian leader also described the foundation’s growing support program for victims of antisemitism, which provides legal, psychological, and security assistance.
“The drastic rise in hate crimes requires comprehensive institutional protection,” he stressed.
Netanyahu welcomed the initiative and expressed hope that TEV’s activities would be replicated worldwide.
He noted that “antisemitic hatred, both online and offline, impacts not only Jewish communities abroad but also Israel’s security.”
The meeting came less than a year after Netanyahu’s state visit to Hungary, during which he was warmly received by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Netanyahu praised Hungary for becoming one of the safest countries in the world for Jews, while emphasizing that even amid Israel’s war against Hamas, international cooperation is key to curbing antisemitism and anti-Jewish narratives.
Hungarian Jewish community leaders highlighted the meeting’s significance, adding, “Israel’s determination to fight antisemitism in the international arena — even during wartime — shows how seriously the Prime Minister views this issue.”
Szalai, who also met Netanyahu in 2020, recalled that TEV was founded by the Association of Hungarian Jewish Communities (EMIH) at the initiative of Chief Rabbi Shlomo Köves. The foundation works closely with the government and enjoys support from a wide spectrum of Jewish communities, including Reform congregations.
Fresh data released by TEV paint a troubling picture:
Germany: 1,957 antisemitic incidents were recorded in 2020. By 2023, the figure had jumped to 4,886, and in 2024, amid the Gaza war, antisemitic expressions online nearly doubled to 8,627. About a quarter were classified as anti-Israel antisemitism.
United Kingdom: 1,662 incidents in 2020 rose to 4,106 in 2023, a 107% increase. Of these, 1,774 cases (43%) were directly linked to Israel and the Gaza conflict.
Hungary: While still among the safest countries for Jews, antisemitism has also grown. In 2022, 45 cases were recorded online. By 2023, there were 128, with most occurring after October 7. In 2024, incidents spiked to 664, more than half of them anti-Israel hate crimes.
Education and media literacy were also high on the agenda. Szalai told Netanyahu about TEV’s education programs and raised concerns about distorted media coverage of Israel’s counterterror operations. He also pointed to the “50 Minutes” program aired on Neshama TV, a Jewish cable channel reaching two million households in Hungary, and the foundation’s support for Israeli documentaries.