Hebert Kickl, the leader of Austria’s major far-right party, has apologised for the Holocaust and condemned October 7 amid signs of rapprochement with Israel.
Speaking at a conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which was attended by members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party, Kickl directly apologised for his country’s role in the attempted extermination of Europe’s Jews during the Second World War.
He added that, in modern times, Jewish “security is the benchmark for the freedom of the entire republic [of Austria]” and offered to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) should his Freedom Party win power.
He also recognised “the Jewish people's historic connection to Judea and Samaria [the Israeli term for the West Bank]” and said that, once in office, he would move the Austrian embassy to Jerusalem, becoming the only European nation other than Kosovo to do so.
And, on the topic of October 7, he said: “Antisemitism in Europe is on the rise. Experts are warning of ‘small October 7s’ across the continent.
“October 7 was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. It was a crime against humanity, not resistance. The deliberate killing of civilians and the taking of hostages are war crimes.”
His comments were welcomed by Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, who said: “Against the backdrop of the complex history, Israel views these statements as an important and positive development, but building trust also requires translating commitments into actions.
“Kickl’s remarks make it possible to open a substantive, open and sincere dialogue aimed at deepening our understanding of his positions and commitments.”
Israel’s right-wing has historically avoided establishing formal ties with the Freedom Party, especially given its first leader, Anton Reinthaller, was a former SS officer and Nazi agriculture minister.
But one of its MEP’s, Harald Vilimsky, has been developing a closer relationship with the Likud for several years, including on his multiple visits to Israel.
Nonetheless, the party remains controversial given its hardline anti-immigration stance, particularly Kickl’s support for remigration, an increasingly popular policy on the European far-right, which the party has previously defined as the deportation of immigrants and their descendants to the country of their heritage, even if they are citizens, if they do not integrate into Austrian society.
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