Leader of an EU country plans to invite Netanyahu despite ICC warrant
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has guaranteed his Israeli counterpart that there would be no risk of arrest during a visit to Budapest. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, assuring him that he will not be arrested during the trip. This invitation comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Netanyahu's arrest earlier this week.
In a recent interview with state radio, Orban, who is currently holding the rotating EU presidency, criticized the ICC's decision to issue the arrest warrant against the Israeli leader and affirmed that Hungary would not act upon it. “Today I will invite Israel’s prime minister, Mr Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and in that invitation, I will guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents,” Orban stated.
The warrant was issued by the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who has also accused Netanyahu's former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s ongoing military actions against Hamas in Gaza. The ICC's actions have been met with strong opposition from both Israel and the United States.
A spokesman for the US National Security Council indicated that the ICC “does not have jurisdiction over this matter,” and Washington “fundamentally rejects the court’s decision.” He voiced concerns regarding the prosecutor’s “rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.”
Israeli officials have responded to the ICC's warrant by accusing the court of anti-Semitism. President Isaac Herzog described the decision as “outrageous,” claiming it “makes a mockery of the sacrifice of all those who fight for justice – from the Allied victory over the Nazis till today.”
While Israel has not signed the Rome Statute, which establishes the ICC’s authority, the court still holds jurisdiction over the West Bank and Gaza, regions recognized as occupied Palestinian territories under international law. Currently, the court's jurisdiction is acknowledged by 123 countries, meaning Netanyahu and Gallant could face arrest if they travel to any of those nations.
The European Union has expressed its intention to respect the ICC's ruling regarding the Israeli officials. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell characterized the court’s warrants as non-political and urged member states to comply with them. Various EU nations, such as the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden, and Norway, have also voiced support for the ICC. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp committed to fully complying with the court’s decision and acting on the arrest warrants. The French Foreign Ministry remarked that while the warrants align with ICC statutes, arresting Netanyahu would present a “legally complex” situation.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
In a recent interview with state radio, Orban, who is currently holding the rotating EU presidency, criticized the ICC's decision to issue the arrest warrant against the Israeli leader and affirmed that Hungary would not act upon it. “Today I will invite Israel’s prime minister, Mr Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and in that invitation, I will guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents,” Orban stated.
The warrant was issued by the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who has also accused Netanyahu's former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s ongoing military actions against Hamas in Gaza. The ICC's actions have been met with strong opposition from both Israel and the United States.
A spokesman for the US National Security Council indicated that the ICC “does not have jurisdiction over this matter,” and Washington “fundamentally rejects the court’s decision.” He voiced concerns regarding the prosecutor’s “rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.”
Israeli officials have responded to the ICC's warrant by accusing the court of anti-Semitism. President Isaac Herzog described the decision as “outrageous,” claiming it “makes a mockery of the sacrifice of all those who fight for justice – from the Allied victory over the Nazis till today.”
While Israel has not signed the Rome Statute, which establishes the ICC’s authority, the court still holds jurisdiction over the West Bank and Gaza, regions recognized as occupied Palestinian territories under international law. Currently, the court's jurisdiction is acknowledged by 123 countries, meaning Netanyahu and Gallant could face arrest if they travel to any of those nations.
The European Union has expressed its intention to respect the ICC's ruling regarding the Israeli officials. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell characterized the court’s warrants as non-political and urged member states to comply with them. Various EU nations, such as the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden, and Norway, have also voiced support for the ICC. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp committed to fully complying with the court’s decision and acting on the arrest warrants. The French Foreign Ministry remarked that while the warrants align with ICC statutes, arresting Netanyahu would present a “legally complex” situation.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
