Former President Fischer Calls for Recognition of Palestine and Criticizes Israel's Warfare

In an interview with STANDARD, the long-standing SPÖ politician not only called on the federal government to demonstrate its neutrality more strongly and the government should recognize the state of Palestine. Fischer justified his demand with the goal of a two-state solution, which, in his view, will not come about without this step, as Israel wants to prevent the recognition of Palestine as a state by all means. “Peace in the Middle East requires that Israel's right to exist be secured, but also Palestine's right to exist,” Fischer said. Recognition is a necessary consequence of the “cruel war” to “largely deprive the worst terrorists of their breeding ground,” he said. He rejects the government's official line of recognizing only at the end of a peace process.

Sharp condemnation of the war and fierce headwinds

In addition to calling for recognition, Fischer reiterated his sharp criticism of Israel's warfare in the Gaza Strip, which he described as “brutal” and incompatible with international norms. He particularly polarized opinion with his statement that Netanyahu's actions “do not reduce anti-Semitism, but rather increase and strengthen it.”

This criticism immediately provoked fierce reactions, as DerStandard reported. The Israeli Embassy in Vienna sharply rejected Fischer's statements and accused him of encouraging “extremists” by equating Israel's defensive measures against Hamas with war crimes. The embassy argued that Israel's war was directed against the terrorist organization Hamas, which was abusing its own population as a human shield. The Secretary General of the Jewish Community (IKG), Benjamin Nägele, also attacked Fischer in the daily newspaper Die Presse. He accused the former Federal President of “ignorance” that could not be surpassed, of blaming the State of Israel for the rise in anti-Semitism in Austria, and thus of using one of the “oldest anti-Semitic formulas.” Former National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) even saw Fischer's words as a “perversion of perpetrator and victim.”

Fischer himself defended himself against the accusation of anti-Semitism and emphasized that it was a “service to Israel's future” to show the population that Netanyahu's approach was unacceptable.

Government reaffirms two-state solution, but remains cautious

The Austrian federal government is committed to the two-state solution, but remains cautious on the issue of recognizing Palestine. Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (Neos) emphasized that Austria would insist on compliance with international law in its fight against Hamas, but considered recognition of Palestine “too early” at this stage. Chancellor's Office Minister Christian Stocker (ÖVP) argued similarly in New York: a political solution must come first, after which recognition would be a possibility.

Concerning the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Meinl-Reisinger explained that Austria, as a party to the Rome Statute, is obliged under international law to implement ICC arrest warrants.

Defense of neutrality and Austria's past with Russia

In addition to the Middle East debate, Fischer also vehemently defended Austrian neutrality. Its purpose, he said, was “to secure peace and avoid war.” When asked whether neutrality was still relevant in the face of cyberattacks, he countered with the question of whether abandoning neutrality would improve security.

Fischer also commented on his past and his relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which have been criticized as too friendly, even after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. He stands by the fact that Austria sought “good and even friendly relations” with Russia during his term in office, which he does not consider a mistake from the perspective of that time. The warning about the annexation of Crimea was not taken entirely seriously by many politicians in Europe, including himself.