Hungarian Pol Wanted Lists of 'Risky' Jews

Marton Gyongyosi stirs outrage
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 27, 2012 3:55 PM CST
Hungarian Pol Wanted Lists of 'Risky' Jews
A demonstrator holds a placard while protesting Marton Gyongyosi's speech in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Nov., 27, 2012. The banner reads: "I am a Jew. Please, include my name on the Jobbik-list."   (AP Photo/MTI, Tamas Kovacs)

A Hungarian politician has sparked outrage with his call for lists of Jews who pose a risk to national security, Reuters reports. Marton Gyongyosi, a leader in the far-right Jobbik party, asked the government to compile such lists because of increased tensions in the wake of Israel-Gaza violence. Of course, opponents see echoes of the same policies that resulted in the Holocaust, when 500,000 to 600,000 Hungarian Jews died.

"I think such a conflict makes it timely to tally up people of Jewish ancestry who live here, especially in the Hungarian Parliament and the Hungarian government, who, indeed, pose a national security risk to Hungary," said Gyongyosi. The Hungarian government quickly responded that it "rejects extremist, racist, anti-Semitic voices of any kind." Gyongyosi later offered a semi-apology, and claimed he was referring only to those with dual citizenship in both Israel and Hungary. (Read more Hungary stories.)

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