Hungary announced its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday, shortly after hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is subject to an ICC arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemned the warrant, calling it “brazen” and “unacceptable,” arguing that the ICC has lost its legitimacy by targeting a democratically elected leader acting in self-defense.
Netanyahu’s visit to Budapest came just one day after the ICC issued the warrant in November. Orban has long been a staunch ally of Netanyahu, having previously blocked EU actions critical of Israel. Hungary, a founding member of the ICC, ratified the Rome Statute in 2001 but has claimed that the treaty was never incorporated into domestic law, thus not obligating Hungary to enforce the arrest warrant.
Hungary’s government will officially begin the withdrawal process later today, with a bill expected to pass easily in the Fidesz-dominated parliament. The decision follows U.S. sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, imposed earlier this year by former President Donald Trump, which Orban referenced as part of his reasoning for reconsidering Hungary’s participation in the court.
The ICC has accused Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense chief of various war crimes, including murder, persecution, and using starvation as a weapon of war. Gaza health authorities report over 50,000 Palestinian deaths since Israel’s offensive began. The ICC has also issued a warrant for a senior Hamas leader, whose death was later confirmed.
The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has sparked global protests, with South Africa filing separate legal action against Israel in the International Court of Justice, accusing the country of genocide.
During his visit, Netanyahu will meet with Orban for a press conference. He is also scheduled to visit a Holocaust memorial. Netanyahu, who is also dealing with a domestic political scandal over alleged ties between his aides and Qatar, has dismissed the accusations as “fake news.”
