Orbán dismisses ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared on November 22 that he would disregard an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Orbán, whose country is a member of the ICC, further stated that he would invite Netanyahu to visit Budapest despite the warrant, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The ICC, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif. The court asserted that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant are culpable for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges stem from allegations of restricting humanitarian aid and targeting civilians during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The arrest warrant represents a landmark moment, marking the first time a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of such grave crimes by an international tribunal. If enforced, the decision could result in the arrest of Netanyahu, Gallant, and Deif in any of the ICC's 125 member states.

Despite Hungary’s obligations as an ICC member, Orbán denounced the warrants as “outrageously impudent” and “cynical”. He unequivocally confirmed that Hungary would not comply with the court’s directive.

While Hungary has vowed defiance, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has urged member states to respect and enforce the ICC’s decision. Several EU countries, including Italy, Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and France, have indicated their willingness to adhere to the court’s ruling.

Meanwhile, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto remarked that although it was "wrong" to equate Netanyahu and Gallant with Hamas, Italy would be compelled to detain the pair if they entered Italian territory. Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris called the warrants “an extremely significant step” and pledged compliance with ICC statutes. 

France has refrained from confirming whether it would arrest Netanyahu or Gallant but emphasised that it would act in accordance with the court’s regulations.

Austria, while branding the warrants as "ludicrous," acknowledged that it would be legally obligated to implement arrests should either Israeli official visit.

US President Joe Biden condemned the ICC's actions as "outrageous," rejecting any comparison between Israel and Hamas. “There is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas,” Biden stated, reiterating unwavering US support for Israel.

Netanyahu labelled the warrants “antisemitic,” arguing that Israel had taken extensive measures to protect civilians in Gaza, including the delivery of "700,000 tons of food" and issuing evacuation warnings through "millions of text messages, phone calls, and leaflets".

Notably, on November 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence secretary Yoav Gallant, accusing them of crimes against humanity.

By Aghakazim Guliyev