The Hague, April 3 (RHC)-- The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) has condemned Hungary for refusing to comply with its arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting the central European country.
The court’s spokesperson, Fadi El Abdallah, said during a press briefing on Wednesday that it is not for parties to the ICC “to unilaterally determine the soundness of the Court’s legal decisions.” The spokesperson further stated that participating states must enforce the court’s decisions. “Any dispute concerning the judicial functions of the Court shall be settled by the decision of the Court,” El Ebdallah added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, on Wednesday evening. “We welcome the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to Budapest!” Hungary’s Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky wrote on Facebook, alongside several photos of Netanyahu being received on a red carpet by the minister and a military honour guard.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former war minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity on November 21, 2024.
The warrants were issued after assessing there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
Benjamin Netanyahu and Viktor Orbán shake hands as they give a joint press conference in Budapest, Hungary in July 2017 ( File photo )
As a member state of the ICC, Hungary is obliged to arrest Netanyahu upon his arrival in the central European country and surrender him to the court. However, Orban and his administration have made it abundantly clear that they will not comply with the ICC’s ruling and requirements.
Media reports also indicated that Hungary may withdraw from the ICC this week.
Rights groups have called upon Hungary to arrest and surrender Netanyahu to the ICC ahead of his visit to the country.
