This has been going on for over a year now. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched several coordinated attacks in Israel, killing around 1,200 people. It was enough for the Middle East, an already highly flammable region, to catch fire again. The tension has still not subsided, far from it, as evidenced by the Israeli strikes that recently hit Lebanon. For obvious security reasons, the Israeli national team is forced to play its “home” matches far from its home ground. The match against France, scheduled for this Thursday (8:45 p.m.) as part of the Nations League, will therefore be held in Budapest. Anything but a coincidence.
We must first of all keep in mind that Hungary is often a preferred destination for clubs and selections in exile. Since 2020, it has hosted around forty international confrontations to be organized on neutral ground. Its location, in the heart of Europe, is an undeniable asset, as is its modern infrastructure. Many stadiums have in fact been built in Hungary in recent years, including the gleaming Bozsik Aréna, which the Blues are preparing to discover.
The Bozsik Aréna in Budapest, where Israel will “receive” the French team.
Credit: Getty Images
Orban-Netanyahu, privileged relations
Concerning Israel, which set down its suitcases on Hungarian soil at the end of 2023 to complete the Euro 2024 qualifiers, the situation is a little different since it has a strong political dimension. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, and Benjamin Netanyahu, his Israeli counterpart, have in fact maintained very close relations for several years. In 2017, on the occasion of the first visit of the leader of the Jewish state to Hungary, Orban also recognized the “fishing” committed by his country which, an ally of Nazi Germany, had actively contributed to the policy of extermination of the Jews during the Second World War.
Viktor Orban and Benjamin Netanyahu.
Credit: Getty Images
“Instead of protecting the Jewish community, we chose collaboration with the Nazis. This can never happen again.”said the head of the Hungarian government, who claims a sincere commitment against anti-Semitism and is now considered a “true friend of Israel” by Netanyahu. The first two matches hosted by the Blue and White in Hungary, against Switzerland and Romania, took place in Felcsut, Orban’s childhood village, who had a stadium built there – the Pancho Aréna – with unique architecture. And whose capacity (4,500 places) is much greater than the number of inhabitants (1,700).
As long as we can’t play at home, Hungary will be a good alternative
Since then, Ran Ben Shimon’s men have set foot on other pitches, notably that of the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, on September 6. That day, it was even Belgium which “received” Israel, the Belgian authorities not having wished to host such a meeting for fear of possible excesses. Enough to serve another objective of Hungarian power: using sport as an instrument of “soft power”. In other words, use it to enhance the image of the country and, above all, to have influence on the international scene.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) celebrates his goal scored against Israel, September 6, 2024. / League of Nations
Credit: Getty Images
A sincere fan of football, which he played at a quasi-professional level before devoting himself entirely to politics, Viktor Orban fiercely defended a program of construction and renovation of stadiums throughout the country. And it is thanks to the Puskas Aréna, a superb setting with 68,000 seats, that Hungary was the scene of certain Euro 2020 matches. The Central European state even goes so far as to finance clubs located in – beyond its borders, in Romanian Transylvania or Serbian Vojvodina, regions where a large Magyar community lives and which were withdrawn from it after the Treaty of Trianon (1920). We touch on nationalist motivations here.
Between privileged relationships and the desire to use the football as a diplomatic tool, we understand better why Hungary is the host country chosen by Israel. “We have a very good combination of personal relationships and pure love of sport and football with the Hungarian government”welcomed Yacos Hadas-Handelsman, Israeli ambassador to Budapest, to the AP. Before adding: “Nothing can replace home, but given the circumstances, as long as we cannot play at home, Hungary will be a good alternative.”
