Netanyahu arrives in Hungary despite ICC warrant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara landed in Budapest, Hungary. A convoy escorted him to his hotel without incident, despite an International Criminal Court warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister’s arrest.

The Times of Israel reports this.

Hungary is a member of the International Criminal Court and is therefore obliged to execute an arrest warrant issued by the court against Netanyahu on suspicion of war crimes.

The newspaper reports that the prime minister was greeted by a military guard of honor in Hungary and was escorted to his hotel without incident.

The Guardian reports that Netanyahu’s official visit is scheduled for four days. It is the first visit by an Israeli Prime Minister to European soil since the ICC issued the arrest warrant.

Hours after the ICC announced the warrants in November, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made it clear that he would not submit to the court and accept Netanyahu, telling reporters that he “guarantees” that the ICC’s ruling “will have no consequences in Hungary.”

Hungary has signed an agreement with the ICC since the court was founded more than two decades ago, signing on to arrest and hand over anyone with an arrest warrant if they set foot on its territory. In recent days, sources in Orbán’s government have reportedly been talking about the possibility of withdrawing from the court.

This is Netanyahu’s second trip abroad since the warrant was issued – he visited the United States in February. The US President used the visit to sign an executive order aimed at imposing sanctions on the ICC over its investigation into Israel's actions in the conflict, which began when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing 250.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, Netanyahu's office criticized the International Criminal Court's decision and called it antisemitic.

To request a correction, please send an email.