Netanyahu Visits Hungary, Defying ICC Arrest Warrant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in Hungary on Thursday for a four-day visit, despite facing an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant related to allegations of war crimes in Gaza, foreign media reported. The visit comes amid Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza, with the IDF expanding its offensive following the deadly October 7 attack led by Hamas on Israel.

Although Hungary is a founding member of the ICC, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has made it clear that Hungary will not comply with the arrest warrant, effectively allowing Netanyahu to proceed with his trip, Reuters reported. Orban had extended the invitation to Netanyahu shortly after the ICC issued the warrant last November, which sought the arrest of Netanyahu and Israel’s former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The duo has been accused of war crimes related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, where over 50,000 Palestinians have died and widespread destruction has occurred since the offensive began, according to the enclave’s health ministry.

During his visit to Budapest, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Orban for discussions, followed by a press conference. The trip marks Netanyahu’s second foreign visit since the ICC issued its warrants. His first was a visit to Washington in February, where he met with US President Donald Trump.

Notably, neither Israel nor the US are members of the ICC, with both countries arguing that the court could be used for politically motivated prosecutions.

Ahead of Netanyahu’s arrival, workers set up a stage at the Buda Castle, where he will be welcomed with military honours, the report said, adding that the visit is also expected to include a stop at a Holocaust memorial.

Netanyahu, who is currently embroiled in a political controversy at home over allegations of corruption and links between his aides and Qatar, has rejected the charges as “fake news,” with a Qatari official dismissing them as part of a broader smear campaign. Netanyahu has also fiercely rejected the ICC’s accusations, calling them politically motivated and fuelled by antisemitism. Israel has claimed that its military actions in Gaza are a legitimate response to Hamas’s attack on the country.

Orban, meanwhile, has condemned the ICC’s warrant as “brazen, cynical, and completely unacceptable,” in line with Israel’s stance that the court’s actions “undermine” the principle of self-defence for a democratically elected leader.

According to the report, the ICC has said that member states are legally obligated to enforce its arrest warrants, and that it is not for the states to determine the soundness of its legal decisions. The ICC warrants also targetted Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, who was later killed in an Israeli strike, alongside other leaders of the group.

This visit comes amid escalating tensions over Israel’s expanded military operations in Gaza. Israel has announced plans to seize large portions of the enclave and establish a security zone, as part of efforts to force Hamas to release 59 hostages still held in Gaza.

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