Hungary Said It Is Withdrawing From The ICC At The Same Time Netanyahu Is Visiting The Country
Orban told Netanyahu that he would be welcomed in Hungary and that the ICC's ruling would have “no effect” in his country.
Hungary announced it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the same time Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces arrest from the court for “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” is visiting the country.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution and starvation as a weapon of war from at least Oct. 8, 2023, until at least May 20, 2024.
Once the ICC issues an arrest warrant, it relies on its member countries to make arrests, as it doesn’t have its own police force, according to Reuters.
However, Hungary’s far-right prime minister Viktor Orbán invited Netanyahu to visit the country a day after the arrest warrant was issued.
Orban told Netanyahu that he would be welcomed in Hungary and that the ruling would have “no effect” in his country.
When Netanyahu arrived in Hungary on Thursday, April 3, Orbán announced that Hungary is withdrawing from the ICC as it is “no longer an impartial court, but rather a political court,” over its decision to arrest Netanyahu.
The ICC had also sought to arrest three senior Hamas’ leaders for war crimes against Israelis in the Oct. 7 attack: the head of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, its military commander-in-chief, Mohammed Deif, and the head of its political bureau, Ismal Hanyieh, who were all killed by Israel.
Netanyahu praised Orban’s move, saying its decision was “bold and principled,” adding that the ICC is a "corrupt organization” that other nations should also stand up against, according to Reuters.
The ICC governing body said in a statement that the court is “at the center of the global commitment to accountability” and the international community should “support it without reservation,” Al Jazeera reported.
“When a State Party withdraws from the Rome Statute [that established the ICC], it clouds our shared quest for justice and weakens our resolve to fight impunity,” it said, adding that “Justice requires our unity.”
Hungary’s withdrawal from the court also takes effect only one year after it submits the official withdrawal document, usually a formal letter declaring the pullout to the United Nations secretary-general’s office.
So far, only Burundi and the Philippines have withdrawn from the court.
Kassy Cho
Cherry Mohamed
