Austria's President Accuses Israel of War Crimes; FM Saar's Harsh Response Sparks Israeli Criticism

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, during a visit to New York, sharply criticized Israel, accusing it of committing war crimes. He stated that the "illegal settlements in the West Bank territories have accelerated, and this involves violence against the Palestinian population there," adding that these events fall under the definition of war crimes. Van der Bellen cautioned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is treading on "dangerous ground" but affirmed Israel's right to exist and stated that the entire Israeli populace should not be held responsible for their government's policies.

In a strong retort, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz (referred to as Gidon Saar in the original text, but corrected to Israel Katz based on common knowledge of the current FM) responded via X, urging the Austrian president to "be ashamed." Katz invoked Austria's history, particularly its role in severe crimes against humanity and the Jewish people, and accused Van der Bellen of making false accusations against the Jewish state while it fights a "jihadist axis" aiming for its annihilation. Katz labeled the president's remarks as "despicable nonsense" but also clarified that Austrian citizens should not be held responsible for their president's words.

While Israel's official response focused on attacking Van der Bellen, senior Israeli diplomatic sources expressed discomfort with the harshness of Katz's reaction towards the president of a friendly nation. These sources felt that criticizing the president of a close ally in such a manner was inappropriate, suggesting there are more diplomatic ways to voice criticism. They noted that Austria, once among Israel's top five European allies, has seen its support become less vocal due to government changes.

Oskar Deutsch, president of the Austrian Jewish Community, offered a more balanced perspective. He called Van der Bellen a "true friend of Israel and the Jewish community" but found his remarks problematic for focusing solely on one side without acknowledging the existential threat from Palestinian terror groups, Iran, and their proxies, as well as attacks on Israelis and stated desires to destroy Jews. Deutsch emphasized that true diplomacy requires a comprehensive view of the conflict, and one-sided accusations legitimize those who already assign blame. He also highlighted a rise in antisemitic incidents in Austria since October 7, 2023, with over three-quarters of recorded incidents in 2025 being linked to Israel.

The Austrian Chancellor's office also distanced itself from the president's remarks, stating that Austria has a "special responsibility towards the State of Israel due to its history" and that Israel's right to exist is unquestionable. They added that the binding nature of international law is also unquestionable for them, and determining violations is the role of courts.