Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has openly challenged an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) by extending an invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary.
Orbán made these remarks during an interview on Hungary’s state radio, as reported by Reuters.
This development follows the ICC’s recent issuance of international arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, amid allegations of their involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, emphasized that member states must adhere to the ICC’s directives. However, Orbán has indicated that despite Hungary’s current presidency of the EU, he has no plans to comply with the arrest warrant.
Orbán criticized the decision to issue the arrest warrant, labeling it as “wrong,” and assured that Netanyahu would be able to negotiate safely in Hungary.
The ICC accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of enabling conditions that prevent essential supplies such as food and medicine from reaching civilians in Gaza, which it classifies as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Furthermore, the court links them to at least two specific attacks targeting civilians in Palestinian territories.
In addition to Netanyahu and Gallant, the ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassem Brigades. Although he was reportedly killed in a July attack, the ICC has not verified his death.
The warrant for Deif is related to allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from events dating back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel. The ICC claims Deif is responsible for mass killings of both civilians and military personnel in Israel, alongside abductions and acts of sexual violence and torture against hostages held by Hamas.
Hungary is not alone in its opposition to the ICC’s arrest warrants; U.S. President Joe Biden has also criticized them, calling the warrants “outrageous.” He asserted that the actions of Israel and Hamas cannot be equated in any way, regardless of the ICC’s findings.
The U.S. government has firmly rejected the legitimacy of the arrest warrants.
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