Hungary The government has chosen to pull out of the International Criminal Court , it was stated on Thursday, shortly thereafter Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu came to the nation for an official tour.
The right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán extended an invitation to his Israeli counterpart to visit Budapest in November, just one day following this event. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu regarding claims of war crimes in Gaza. , after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, Israel initiated its military operation.
Israel has dismissed the allegations, stating that they are driven by political motives. and fuelled by antisemitism.
The statement indicates that the International Criminal Court has forfeited all credibility by issuing arrest warrants against a democratically elected leader who was defending their nation’s sovereignty.
As a founding member of the ICC, Hungary is technically bound to arrest and surrender individuals who have warrants issued against them by the court. However, Orban firmly stated that Hungary will disregard this ruling, describing it as "bold, ruthless, and entirely unacceptable."
Hungary signed the ICC's foundational treaty in 1999 and ratified it in 2001; however, the legislation has yet to be enacted.
Gergely Gulyas, who serves as Chief of Staff for Orbán, stated in November that despite Hungary having ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), it was not incorporated into Hungarian legislation. This implies that no actions taken by the court can be enforced within Hungary’s borders.
On Thursday, Gulyas informed the state news agency MTI that the government would initiate the withdrawal procedure later that day.
Orbán brought up the possibility of Hungary leaving the ICC following US President Donald Trump’s imposition of sanctions on the court's prosecutor, Karim Khan, in February.
"It’s time for Hungary to reassess our involvement with an international organization that faces U.S. sanctions,” Orban stated on X back in February.
The legislation aimed at beginning the one-year procedure for exiting the ICC is expected to pass through Hungary’s parliament, which is largely controlled by Orbán’s Fidesz party.
Over the years, Netanyahu has received robust backing from Hungary’s Orbán, a key ally who has consistently stood ready to impede EU pronouncements or initiatives that were critical of Israel.
The ICC judges stated when issuing the arrest warrants that there were substantial reasons to suspect Netanyahu along with his ex-defence chief of being criminally liable for actions such as murder, persecution, and using starvation as a method of warfare. These actions were alleged to be part of a broad and organized assault targeting the civilian populace of Gaza.
According to Palestinian health officials, the Israeli offensive has resulted in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths and laid waste to the Gaza Strip. Israeli sources report that the Hamas-directed assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, led to approximately 1,200 fatalities and left more than 250 individuals as captives.
In November, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for a Hamas leader as well. The individual’s demise was verified following the issuance of the warrant.
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