Israel has signaled a possible opening toward Austria’s far-right Freedom Party after its leader, Herbert Kickl, condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack, apologized directly to Jews over Austria’s role in the Holocaust and sought a new relationship with Jewish communities.
Kickl delivered the remarks Wednesday at a conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg attended by representatives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and other right-wing European parties. The gathering focused on antisemitism and Islamism and reflected the FPÖ’s growing efforts to build ties with Israel despite the party’s controversial history.
Herbert Kickl, who accused Hamas of war crimes
(Photo: AP/ Christian Bruna, File)
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the remarks, calling them “an important and positive development.”
“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,” Sa’ar said. “Kickl’s remarks make it possible to open a substantive, open and sincere dialogue aimed at deepening our understanding of his positions and commitments.”
The response stops short of announcing an end to Israel’s longstanding policy of distancing itself from the FPÖ, but it marks a notable shift in tone. Israeli officials have traditionally avoided formal ties with the party because of its historical links to Nazism and repeated controversies involving antisemitism, although contacts between FPÖ figures and members of Israel’s governing coalition have expanded significantly in the past year.
‘A crime against humanity, not resistance’
In his Strasbourg speech, Kickl explicitly blamed Hamas for the Oct. 7 massacre and rejected efforts to portray the attack as legitimate resistance.
“Antisemitism in Europe is on the rise. Experts are warning of ‘small October 7s’ across the continent,” he said. “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.”
Kickl also named Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis and Boko Haram while drawing a distinction between Islam as a religion and Islamism, which he described as an extremist political ideology.
The FPÖ leader then addressed Austria’s Nazi past and apologized directly to Jewish Austrians, Holocaust survivors, their descendants and the Jewish people.
The gesture was particularly significant given the FPÖ’s history. The party was founded in 1956, and its first leader, Anton Reinthaller, had served as a Nazi agriculture minister and SS officer. Its second leader, Friedrich Peter, was also a former SS officer.
Kickl himself has sought in recent months to emphasize Holocaust remembrance. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, he described the industrial murder of millions of Jews as “the darkest chapter in the history of our country” and said it must never be forgotten.
FPÖ seeks closer ties with Israel
Kickl also pledged that if the FPÖ eventually leads Austria’s federal government, it would make combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish life a priority. He reiterated support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism and offered Jewish communities what he described as a new partnership based on trust and practical cooperation.
He also reiterated support for moving Austria’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and spoke of the Jewish people’s historical connection to the West Bank.
Sa’ar welcomed Kickl’s recognition of “the dark chapter in Austria’s history and the responsibility arising from it,” as well as his condemnation of the Hamas massacre and recognition of Israel’s right to defend itself.
The foreign minister also welcomed Kickl’s position on Jerusalem and his stated desire to deepen practical cooperation with Israel. Israeli officials said figures involved in the outreach included FPÖ European Parliament lawmaker Harald Vilimsky, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.
Vilimsky has played a particularly prominent role in cultivating ties with Israel. He has visited the country repeatedly and in January was part of a European delegation received by Netanyahu, despite criticism from leaders of Austria’s Jewish community. He returned to Israel in May and met senior Israeli officials at events in Jerusalem.
A party with growing political weight
The question of Israel’s relationship with the FPÖ has become more significant as the party’s electoral strength has grown.
The FPÖ finished first in Austria’s September 2024 parliamentary election with 28.8% of the vote and 57 seats, its strongest national election result, although it ultimately did not enter government.
The party remains firmly associated with Europe’s far right and continues to face criticism over ties to nationalist and extremist circles. Austria’s Jewish community has been particularly skeptical of attempts by FPÖ politicians to portray the party as an ally of Jews and Israel, arguing that its pro-Israel positions do not erase its history or more recent controversies.
Sa’ar’s response therefore represents an opening rather than a formal reconciliation. His statement made clear that Israel will judge any change in its relationship with the FPÖ not only by Kickl’s words, but by whether the commitments he outlined are followed by concrete action.