ICC reacts to Netanyahu's trip to Hungary
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting Budapest despite an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague. The ICC has stated that Hungary is obliged to cooperate with the arrest...
TroibNews 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting Budapest despite an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague.
The ICC has stated that Hungary is obliged to cooperate with the arrest warrant, which was issued for both Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November due to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza. Prior to his arrival on Thursday, Netanyahu made a stop in Hungary, where officials had previously asserted that they would not detain him.
On the same day, Hungary announced the initiation of its official process to withdraw from the ICC. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban justified this decision by alleging that the court has become a “political tool” in recent years.
Regarding Netanyahu's visit, ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah remarked that “the court recalls that Hungary remains under a duty to cooperate with the ICC.”
According to reports from Reuters, Hungary’s complete withdrawal from the ICC is expected to take at least a year. Hungary signed the Rome Statute, which established the ICC's authority, in 1999 and ratified it in 2001. The court is recognized by 123 countries, but it lacks its own enforcement mechanism and relies on member states to apprehend and transfer suspects.
Orban extended an invitation to Netanyahu shortly after the arrest warrant was announced, assuring him that if he visited, the ICC ruling would hold no power in Hungary and that the country would disregard its implications.
During a joint press conference with Hungary's leaders later that day, Netanyahu commended Budapest for its “bold and principled” decision to withdraw from the court. He emphasized the importance of standing up against what he characterized as a "corrupt organization," expressing his belief that Budapest might not be the last capital to sever ties with the ICC.
The Israel Defense Forces resumed airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza last month, following the breakdown of negotiations with the Palestinian armed group Hamas regarding the release of remaining hostages and the establishment of a ceasefire.
According to the latest statistics from Gaza's Health Ministry, at least 50,523 Palestinians have lost their lives and 114,638 others have been injured since the IDF launched its operations in response to a Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
The ICC has stated that Hungary is obliged to cooperate with the arrest warrant, which was issued for both Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November due to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza. Prior to his arrival on Thursday, Netanyahu made a stop in Hungary, where officials had previously asserted that they would not detain him.
On the same day, Hungary announced the initiation of its official process to withdraw from the ICC. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban justified this decision by alleging that the court has become a “political tool” in recent years.
Regarding Netanyahu's visit, ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah remarked that “the court recalls that Hungary remains under a duty to cooperate with the ICC.”
According to reports from Reuters, Hungary’s complete withdrawal from the ICC is expected to take at least a year. Hungary signed the Rome Statute, which established the ICC's authority, in 1999 and ratified it in 2001. The court is recognized by 123 countries, but it lacks its own enforcement mechanism and relies on member states to apprehend and transfer suspects.
Orban extended an invitation to Netanyahu shortly after the arrest warrant was announced, assuring him that if he visited, the ICC ruling would hold no power in Hungary and that the country would disregard its implications.
During a joint press conference with Hungary's leaders later that day, Netanyahu commended Budapest for its “bold and principled” decision to withdraw from the court. He emphasized the importance of standing up against what he characterized as a "corrupt organization," expressing his belief that Budapest might not be the last capital to sever ties with the ICC.
The Israel Defense Forces resumed airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza last month, following the breakdown of negotiations with the Palestinian armed group Hamas regarding the release of remaining hostages and the establishment of a ceasefire.
According to the latest statistics from Gaza's Health Ministry, at least 50,523 Palestinians have lost their lives and 114,638 others have been injured since the IDF launched its operations in response to a Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
