BUDAPEST: Hungary has officially announced its decision to begin the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), following a state visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an arrest warrant from the court over alleged war crimes committed during the Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemned the ICC’s warrant, describing it as “brazen” and “unacceptable,” arguing that the court had lost its legitimacy by targeting a democratically elected leader engaged in self-defense.
Orban has been a staunch supporter of Netanyahu and Israel, often opposing European Union actions that criticize Israel’s policies. The Hungarian government’s decision to withdraw from the ICC came shortly after Netanyahu’s arrival in Budapest, which occurred just one day after the ICC issued its arrest warrant in November.
Orban’s government has expressed its belief that Hungary is not legally bound by the Rome Statute, which was ratified by Hungary in 2001 but never fully transposed into national law. Therefore, Hungary claims it has no obligation to enforce the ICC’s warrants.
Gergely Gulyas, Orban’s chief of staff, confirmed that the government would formally initiate the withdrawal process from the ICC later in the day. Given Orban’s political dominance in the Hungarian parliament, the bill for the country’s withdrawal is expected to pass smoothly.
The move to leave the ICC follows previous actions by Orban and Hungary’s long-standing reluctance to align with international sanctions and criticisms, notably U.S. sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan imposed earlier this year. Orban had previously mentioned that Hungary should reconsider its participation in the ICC, given the sanctions imposed by its allies, especially the United States.
The ICC issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest and that of Israel’s former defense chief, accusing them of crimes including murder, persecution, and using starvation as a weapon during military operations in Gaza. The health authorities in Gaza report more than 50,000 Palestinian deaths as a result of Israeli military operations, which have intensified in recent months.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary marks only the second time he has traveled abroad since the ICC issued the warrants against him. During his visit, Netanyahu is expected to meet with Orban for discussions and hold a press conference. Details of the visit remain limited, though Netanyahu is scheduled to visit a Holocaust memorial during his trip.
