The Hungarian embassy held its annual celebration of the 1956 revolution on Monday evening, October 24th, marking 66 years since this important national event.
H.E. Ambassador Benko Levente & Mrs. Andrea Weiszer held a reception in Camilo- The Green House, Tel Aviv. Diplomats, civil society leaders, and friends of the embassy that attended the event enjoyed Hungarian drinks and delicacies to mark the occasion.
After the playing of the national anthems of Hungary and Israel, the Hungarian Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Levente Benkő opened the event. Ambassador Benkő welcomed the guests and mentioned the good relationship and partnership that connect Hungary with the state of Israel, " First of all, we can proudly say that Hungary is among Israel’s best friends in Europe – a friendship that has recently yielded an important result with the organization of the EU-Israel Association Council after ten long years. We are determined to make sure that the Council, with the participation of PM Yair Lapid and European foreign ministers, was not a one-off and the partnership between Europe and Israel returns to the level where it duly belongs."
Ambassador Benkő also noted that Israel remains a strategic ally for Hungary as an “anchor of stability” in a turbulent region, as well as for its technological innovation, with a Hungarian company recently acquiring ownership in Israel’s leading satellite operator.
Finally, the ambassador recalled the 1956 revolution, and the courage of those who fought against communism, and the 20,000 Hungarian Jews who emigrated to Israel following the Soviet repression of Hungarian independence.
Honorary guest and former President of Israel H.E. Mr. Reuven Rivlin was invited by Ambassador Benkő to welcome the celebration. "I am very happy and very honored to be here and celebrate along with you members of the international community, especially with the Hungarian people, the Prime Minister of Hungary, and the President of Hungary".
"Mr. Ambassador, I appreciate you standing behind Israel in international organization and in international forums and it is very important for us , and I would like to thank all the Hungarian people for this attitude and this support."
The second part of the celebration was tasting traditional Hungarian food that was served to the guests like Blinches, Borsh, Goulash, and sweeties and enjoying live music that was played by musicians Tibi Golan, Eran Horovitz, Shmuel Lemberger, and Tamara Golan. The ambassador then raised a toast with the president to the success of Israel-Hungarian relations.
The distinguished guest list included Gil Haskel, Chief of State Protocol at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former director of Mashav; members of the Ephraim Kishon foundation for strengthening Hungarian linguistic and cultural heritage in Israel; Mr. and Mrs. Josef Weiss, owners of Adria Airways; Georgina Litvak - Corporate Account Manager - Hilton Tel Aviv; Gideon Tahler, Chairman of Tal Aviation, the official representative of various Airlines in Israel ; ambassadors, members of various diplomatic missions, officials of both governments, representatives of the IDF and Israel Police, business leaders and other guests from both nations.
Diplomacy.co.il offers congratulations to the Embassy of Hungary, to the Government and the Hungarian people on the 66th anniversary of the 1956 revolution.
Mrs. Amal Buqai Kayal is a member of Debate for Peace
Photos Silvia Golan
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