Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu has arrived to Budapest for a four-day official visit during which he is scheduled to meet with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán, Hungarian Presdient János Áder and other officials.

As part of the 16th Jewish Summer Festival, the Embassy of the State of Israel brought a unique experience to one of the most beautiful and colorful places in Budapest, the Central Market Hall. The Israeli Shuk in Budapest lasts 3 days: August 29-31.

“There is a special bond between Hungary and Israel going back to 20th century history, a bond that is still very important today.” That is what the Israeli Ambassador to Hungary Ilan Mor emphasized in a recent interview with Diplomacy & Trade.

Located at the edge of the former Jewish Quarter in downtown Budapest, at Paulay Ede Street 1, the Israeli Cultural Institute (ICI) hosts and organizes concerts, exhibitions, film screenings and club activities for Jews and non-Jews.

The Hungarian-Israeli Joint Economic Committee met for the second time in Jerusalem on May 29 to discuss the possibilities of developing cooperation between the two countries. The first meeting of this Joint Commission was held in 2009, in Budapest.

As of this week, El Al Airlines of Israel flies its Budapest-Tel Aviv route once a week with a Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The first Jumbo Jet landed at Budapest airport this Tuesday. The same type of plane will fly this route for the next seven weeks.

The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows with great concern the situation in the Middle East, resulting in the Gaza Strip rocket attacks on Israel, which responded militarily to protect its population, the Ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli ambassador to Hungary, Ilan Mor welcomed guests to the Syma Event and Concert Hall in Budapest to celebrate the 64th anniversary of his country’s independence. In his opening speech, the Ambassador stressed that relations between Hungary and Israel are amicable with “ties fed by past and present and looking into the future together.”
The highest ranking guest representing Hungary was State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry, Iván Bába. He and the other participants could enjoy a festive concert and a buffet dinner.

The internationally recognized Budapest Jewish Summer Festival started with an unconventional concert this year, presenting the Adler Trio from Israel, Katica Illenyi violinist and the Cseke Quartet, and ended with huge success.

Director Gábor Balázs says the aim of the institute is to show the diversity of Israel's "mosaic-like" culture, including works and performances by Jews, Christians, Arabs, writers and artists, and serve as a focal point of Jewish life in Hungary.

“This festival is not exclusively about books,” organizers of the 17th International Book Festival say. It is more likely a festival of combined arts. Film screenings, theater performances and a number of exhibitions are available to the public every year.

Jewish Summer festival kicked off its 12th edition this year. 26 premises and 59 programs awaited those who were interested in Jewish culture.

The ‘Heritage of the Holy Land’ exhibition provided a colorful illustration of the cultural diversity of Israel’s history.

At the anniversary, a conference was held - instead of a celebration - to emphasize the excellent state of bilateral relations. Hungarian MP János Fónagy emphasizes that in Hungarian parliament, there is consensus on good relations with Israel.

After the political changes in the late 1980s, Hungary was the first country in the former Soviet bloc that established diplomatic relations with Israel two decades ago. The Israeli Ambassador to Hungary Aliza Bin-Noun is of the view that this has been a special relationship between the two countries.