Austrian president accuses Israel of ‘war crimes,’ drawing sharp rebuke from FM Sa’ar

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen accused Israel of committing “war crimes” in Gaza and Judea and Samaria (West Bank) on Tuesday, prompting a sharp rebuke from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Speaking alongside Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Van der Bellen criticized Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He nevertheless stressed that he did not question Israel’s right to exist.

Van der Bellen argued that "illegal settlements in the West Bank territories have accelerated, and this is violence against the Palestinian population there." He said these actions "fall under the definition of war crimes" and warned that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was moving the country into "dangerous territory."

Sa’ar strongly rebuked the Austrian president in a post on 𝕏.

“Austria’s President [Van Der Bellen] should be ashamed! Someone who represents a country whose past is bound up with the gravest crimes against humanity and the Jewish people dares to level a false accusation against the Jewish state, which is still fighting a jihadist axis that relentlessly tries to eliminate it. Of course, no Austrian citizen should be held responsible for the vile nonsense uttered by their President,” Sa'ar wrote.

The unusually strong response from Sa’ar prompted concern among some senior Israeli diplomats, who warned that it could damage relations with one of Israel’s friendliest allies in Europe.

"We have reached the point where we are reprimanding the president of Austria – one of our friendliest countries in Europe," the officials told Ynet News. "You can't lash out like this at the president of a friendly country. There is a way to voice criticism."

One unnamed senior Israeli diplomat also warned that Austrian support for Israel within the European Union has eroded over the past two years, potentially leading to sanctions or other European diplomatic measures against Israel.

Oskar Deutsch, who heads the Jewish community in Austria, described Van der Bellen as a “true friend” of Israel. At the same time, he said it was unfair to place all responsibility for the conflict on Israel without addressing the threats the Jewish state faces from the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies.

Deutsch emphasized that the Iranian-led Islamist axis explicitly calls for Israel’s destruction and the murder of Jews.

Following the controversy, the Austrian chancellor’s office emphasized Austria’s commitment to both Israel’s existence and international law.

"Because of its history, Austria bears a special responsibility toward the State of Israel. Israel's right to exist is not in question. Equally, the binding nature of international law is not in question for us. Determining whether the law has been violated is the task of the courts," the office stated.

Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger subsequently defended Van der Bellen’s position, saying that Austria remains committed to Israel while also maintaining that Israel must respect international law.

The controversy comes as antisemitism has risen in Austria since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel. In 2025, the Austrian antisemitism reporting center documented that approximately 75% of all antisemitic incidents were connected to the Jewish state and the conflict in the Middle East.

Last week, Austrian far-right FPÖ party leader Herbert Kickl condemned the Hamas Oct. 7 atrocities and apologized for Austria’s complicity during the Nazi-perpetrated Holocaust. Kickl also vowed to combat rising levels of antisemitism in Austria. Israel welcomed Kickl’s statement but stressed that words needed to be translated into action.