Austria's far-right party apologized for the Holocaust. Sa'ar hinted: the boycott will be lifted

Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria's Freedom Party (FPÖ), condemned the October 7 massacre for the first time, acknowledged Austria's responsibility for the Holocaust, and apologized to Austrian Jews. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar welcomed the move and hinted at the possibility of lifting the Israeli political boycott on the party with Nazi roots, stating that the remarks allow "opening a substantive dialogue."

Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria's Freedom Party (FPÖ), yesterday (Wednesday) condemned the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas for the first time, clarified that it is not "resistance," and apologized for Austria's role in the Holocaust. In a speech at the European Union, Kickl accused Hamas of war crimes, defined October 7 as the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, and apologized directly to survivors of Nazism, their descendants, and the Jewish people, particularly to Jewish Austrian citizens. He distinguished between the religion of Islam and Islamism, which he defined as a "radical political ideology." Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar welcomed the move, called it "an important and positive development," and hinted at the possibility of lifting the Israeli political boycott on the party with Nazi roots. Sa'ar stated that Kickl's words "allow opening a substantive, open, and honest dialogue." The Freedom Party is one of two far-right parties in the world on which Israel still maintains an official political boycott. Kickl also expressed an intention to move the Austrian embassy to Jerusalem, although he is not part of the Austrian government. The Foreign Ministry noted that the process leading to the speech involved European Parliament member Harald Vilimsky, Minister Amichai Shikli, and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.