Hungarian FM accuses ICC of abandoning neutrality in Netanyahu case

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó sharply criticised the International Criminal Court (ICC) on July 26, claiming it has “completely lost its credibility” following its accusation that Hungary violated its legal obligations by failing to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit to Budapest.

In a Facebook post cited by Caliber.Az, Szijjártó reacted to the ICC's announcement on Friday, July 25, in which a panel of judges concluded that Hungary had breached the court’s requirements by not detaining Netanyahu during his official trip to the Hungarian capital in April.

“With this step, the International Criminal Court has made it clear that it has completely lost its authority and that its decisions are mainly motivated by petty political revenge,” Szijjártó wrote.

He argued that international judicial bodies must be free from political agendas and ideologies, stressing, “Political goals and ideologies have no place in international judicial bodies.”

The Hungarian foreign minister went on to assert that the court’s latest ruling validated Hungary’s longstanding concerns about the ICC’s impartiality and independence. “This petty and weak move confirms only one thing: our decision to withdraw was the right one,” he stated, referring to Hungary’s earlier choice to distance itself from the court.

According to Szijjártó, the ICC has now “completely abandoned its original mission” and has turned into a “political organization.” He added that international institutions like the ICC should not promote political interests but rather serve as neutral platforms for dialogue and negotiation between conflicting parties.

“In our view, international organizations must not represent political agendas; on the contrary, they should offer an appropriate international forum for resolving disputes,” Szijjártó concluded.

By Tamilla Hasanova