Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced that his country will not enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Despite the ICC decision, Netanyahu is set to visit Hungary from Wednesday to Sunday at the invitation of Orban.
Netanyahu’s trip comes amid controversy over a plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza proposed by former US President Donald Trump. The Hungarian government has not publicly commented on the proposal, but Netanyahu’s visit suggests he is seeking international backing for the plan.
Orban’s decision not to enforce the ICC warrant was made when the warrant was announced in November. Hungary, as an EU member, is obligated to comply with ICC rulings, but Budapest has yet to issue an official response regarding the upcoming visit. This will be Netanyahu’s second foreign trip since the ICC issued warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu rejects the charges against his leaders, calling them “false and absurd.” The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/30/israels-pm-netanyahu-to-visit-hungary-despite-icc-arrest-warrant