The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered Hungary to cooperate with the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following his visit to Budapest on Thursday. The ICC had issued the warrant in November last year, accusing Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel’s ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip.
Hungary began the official procedure to withdraw from the ICC on Thursday, citing the court’s alleged transformation into a “political tool” over the years. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban justified the move, saying the court in The Hague had become a “politicized instrument”.
The ICC’s spokesperson, Fadi El Abdallah, later reminded Hungary of its obligation to cooperate with the court, stating that the country is bound by the Rome Statute, which the ICC is based on.
Reuters reported earlier that Hungary would take at least a year to fully withdraw from the ICC. Hungary signed the Rome Statute in 1999 and ratified it two years later.
The ICC’s jurisdiction is currently recognized by 123 countries, but the court relies on its member states to enforce its decisions and arrest suspects. Israel is not a member of the ICC and the court has no police force of its own.
Netanyahu, who is facing corruption charges, praised Hungary’s “bold and principled” decision to withdraw from the ICC, stating that it was important to stand against the “corrupt organization”. He expressed confidence that Hungary would not be the last country to leave the ICC.
Israel’s Prime Minister is a defendant in multiple corruption cases, with some critics suggesting that he is waging war to avoid being brought to trial. The Israeli military has been conducting airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip, with the latest escalation following the failure of negotiations with the Hamas organization over the release of hostages and a ceasefire. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 50,523 Palestinians have been killed and 114,638 others wounded in the enclave since Israel launched its attacks in response to the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023.