Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, announced on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Hungary in the upcoming weeks, despite an international arrest warrant against him related to the conflict in Gaza. The visit is expected to take place before Easter on April 20. Orbán, a staunch ally of Netanyahu, has expressed his disregard for the International Criminal Court’s warrant, criticizing the court for allegedly interfering in political matters.
Countries that are members of the ICC, like Hungary, are obligated to arrest individuals with warrants if they enter their jurisdiction. However, the court lacks the authority to enforce this. Several European nations have indicated they would execute the warrant if Netanyahu sets foot on their soil. The arrest warrants issued in November accused Netanyahu and others of crimes against humanity for actions during the Gaza conflict, including the alleged use of starvation as a method of warfare and deliberate attacks on civilians – allegations that Israeli officials reject.
Gulyás expressed his support for Hungary potentially withdrawing from the ICC, arguing that the court has veered towards political activities rather than legal ones. Despite this, Hungary has not yet made a decision on the matter. Neither Israel nor the United States, both close allies, are members of the ICC, and they do not acknowledge its authority. Recently, President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the court, accusing it of targeting the U.S. and Israel with baseless actions and arrest warrants.
