Last week, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz made the unusual decision to fly the Israeli flag on official buildings in solidarity with the country facing Hamas rocket attacks on its cities. “I condemn, with the utmost firmness, the attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip,” said the conservative chancellor. “Israel has the right to defend itself against these attacks.” Kurz is known to have court Israel in the last few years, most likely to deflect criticism for his alliance with the far-right Freedom Party of Austria. On Wednesday, the European Council agreed (minus Hungary) on a resolution calling for a cease-fire, but the Austrian chancellor isn’t an outlier among European leaders in expressing support for Israel.
