Prime Minister Viktor Orban said today that he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee that the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Netanyahu “will not be implemented.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) yesterday, Thursday, issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense minister, as well as against Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during conflict in Gaza.
Orban, whose country holds the European Union presidency during the current semester, told state radio that the ICC arrest warrant was “a mistake” and added that the Israeli leader would be able to hold negotiations in Hungary “with appropriate security.”
“Today I will invite the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and in this invitation I will guarantee him that, if he comes, the decision of the ICC will have no effect in Hungary and we will not implement it,” Orban said.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu had visited Orban in 2017
After Orban and his nationalist party, Fidesz, came to power in 2010, he and Netanyahu restored close political relations. Netanyahu visited Budapest in 2017.
Israeli leaders and the White House condemned the ICC ruling, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the warrants were not political and that all EU member states should respect and implement the court’s ruling.
Within the EU, Hungary and the Czech Republic are strong supporters of Israel, while countries such as Spain and Ireland underline their support for the Palestinians.
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reacting to the ICC decision, stated that Prague will respect its international legal obligations.
However, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala described the ICC’s decision as “unfortunate”, writing late yesterday, Thursday night in X: “The court’s move undermines its authority in other cases by equating the elected representatives of a democratic state with the leaders of an Islamist terrorist organization.”
The unfortunate decision of the ICC undermines its authority in other cases when it equates the elected representatives of a democratic state with the leaders of an Islamist terrorist organization.
— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) November 21, 2024
Source: RES-MPE
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