Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised Hungary for its “bold and principled” choice to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) during his visit to Budapest, which marks a rare trip abroad in defiance of an ICC arrest warrant.
Mr. Netanyahu, who was invited by Hungary’s right-wing leader Viktor Orban, is currently facing the warrant due to allegations of war crimes in Gaza.
Hungary has dismissed the idea of detaining him, referring to the warrant as “brazen”.
Coinciding with Mr. Netanyahu’s visit, Mr. Orban announced that Hungary would depart from the ICC, an organization established over twenty years ago to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
The office of the Israeli leader stated that he and Mr. Orban discussed Hungary’s decision to exit the ICC with US President Donald Trump and considered “the next steps that can be taken on this issue”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane on the tarmac in Budapest
Mr. Orban extended the invitation to his Israeli counterpart in November, merely a day after the arrest warrant was issued.
Israel has rebuffed the ICC allegations, asserting that they are politically driven and fueled by antisemitism.
The Israeli government claimed the ICC has forfeited its legitimacy by issuing warrants against a democratically elected leader of a nation exercising its right to self-defense.
“You stand with us at the EU, you stand with us at the UN, and you’ve just taken a bold and principled stance on the ICC … it’s vital for all democracies to confront this corrupt organization,” Mr. Netanyahu declared to Mr. Orban.
The presidency of the ICC expressed concerns over Hungary’s decision, urging it in a letter to maintain its commitment to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the court, as stated in a release.
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This marks Mr. Netanyahu’s second trip abroad since the ICC announced the warrant, following a visit to Washington in February.
As a founding member of the ICC, Hungary is obligated to arrest and extradite anyone subject to a court warrant.
Hungary ratified the ICC’s founding document in 2001; however, the necessary legislation has not been enacted.
Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp of the Netherlands, where the ICC is headquartered, has stated that until Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC is finalized—which he noted may take about a year—Hungary must fulfill its obligations.
EU countries have shown a divide on the ICC warrant.
Some nations expressed last year that they would honor their ICC commitments, while Italy raised legal uncertainties, and France believed that Mr. Netanyahu enjoyed immunity from the court’s actions.
Germany’s future chancellor, Friedrich Merz, stated in February that he would find a way for the Israeli leader to visit without facing arrest.
The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, whose death has since been confirmed.
Prosecutors had additionally sought to apprehend Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, both of whom were killed before the requests were approved.
Explainer: What is the International Criminal Court?
The Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli reports, with 59 still held in Gaza.
The Israeli reprisals following the attack have led to the deaths of over 50,000 Palestinians, as reported by health authorities in Gaza.
Hamas condemned Hungary’s move to exit the ICC, labeling it “a slap in the face to the principle of international justice.”
