FPÖ relationship with Israel undergoes strategic shifts

A research analysis examines the evolving relationship between the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) and Israel across three distinct periods: 2000–2007, 2010, and 2014–2019.

The study indicates that the party's stance is not a linear progression from rejection to rapprochement, but rather a series of strategic shifts marked by ambivalence. During the era of Jörg Haider, the relationship was strained by international criticism, pro-Arab positions, and statements perceived as antisemitic or relativizing the Nazi era.

Under Heinz-Christian Strache starting in 2010, Israel began to be utilized as a strategic point for political legitimacy and self-presentation. This approach serves to defend against accusations of antisemitism and to facilitate anti-Islamic mobilization, mirroring strategies seen in other European right-wing parties. While the pro-Israel stance intensified between 2014 and 2019, it remains accompanied by controversies regarding far-right rhetoric and continued distance from the official Israeli state.