Thursday, June 22, 2017

Austria: Far-right Freedom Party commits to moving embassy to Jerusalem

i24NEWS:
Heinz-Christian Strache
Heinz-Christian Strache stands a real chance of winning the upcoming national elections 
The head of Austria's Freedom Party Heinz-Christian Strache on Wednesday committed in writing to moving the Austrian embassy to Jerusalem, if the party wins in the upcoming national elections. 
Strache also affirmed, in a letter addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he believes Israel has the right to build in all areas of the state with Jerusalem as its capital. The letter was signed during a meeting with Member of Knesset Yehuda Glick in Vienna. 
Strache is the political heir of Jörg Haider, the former head of the Freedom Party who was infamous for his anti-Semitism and pro-Nazi opinions. When the party joined the Austrian government in 2000, Israel recalled its ambassador in a diplomatic crisis that continued until 2003. 
Former Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres refused a visit from Strache last year, reportedly due to advice from the Israeli Foreign MinistryStrache stands a real chance of winning the upcoming elections in Austria, if not to be chancellor, then to be in a coalition. Austria's Freedom Party is widely considered the strongest far right party in all of Europe. (...) 
Having made comments in the past that Austria is not responsible for its previous crimes, namely in relation to Nazi Germany, Strache told i24NEWS last year that "different people in different periods afterwards have interpreted the situation as Austria being occupied. Others certainly wished for this unification with National Socialist Germany."
read more

Related:

Far-right Austrian party chief visits Israel, tours Yad Vashem


No comments :

Post a Comment