Hungary withdraws from the International Criminal Court during Netanyahu’s visit

The Hungarian government has announced that Hungary is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu seeks the hours after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s state visit to Hungary after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s state-owned visit.

Orban immediately invited Netanyahu after the arrest warrant was issued last November, saying the ruling was invalid for his country.

ICC judge said in November that Netanyahu had “reasonable reasons” for “criminal liability” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu condemned the ICC’s decision as “anti-Semitism.”

The International Criminal Court is a global court that has the power to prosecute those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Hungary is a founding member of the International Criminal Court, which accounts for 125 member states and will become the first EU country to withdraw from the country. Withdrawals have no effect on ongoing procedures.

At a joint press conference, Auban asserted that the International Criminal Court had become a “political court.” He added that the court decided to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli leaders “clearly make this point.”

Meanwhile, Netanyahu was subjected to Hungary’s “bold and principled” decision to withdraw from the court.

“This is important for all democracies. It is important to stand on this corrupt organization,” Netanyahu said.

Israel’s earlier Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar thanked Orban for his “clear and strong moral stance” on X.

Saar added: “The so-called International Criminal Court has lost its moral authority after trampling on the basic principles of international law, in order to undermine Israel’s right to self-defense.”

Hungary’s decision is aligned with a broader foreign policy stance under Orban, who has established close ties with Israel and adopted a critical view of international institutions that violate state sovereignty.

Although Hungary’s evacuation may have symbolic weight and political implications, it did not significantly change the operational capabilities or legal framework of the ICC.

The courts have faced similar challenges in the past and continue to play a role with broad international support.

But Hungary’s criticism of the International Criminal Court is “politically biased” and its decision to withdraw as a decision to visit Netanyahu could raise precedents for other countries to question or abandon commitment to international justice based on political alliances or differences with specific rulings.

The United States, Russia, China and North Korea are one of the countries that do not belong to the International Criminal Court and therefore do not recognize their jurisdiction.

Israel is not part of the treaty either, but the International Criminal Court ruled in 2021 that it does have jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, as the UN Secretary-General has accepted that the Palestinians are a member.

According to data from Article 127 of the Roman Regulations that established the ICC, Hungary now needs to send a written notice to the UN Secretary-General to leave the treaty and withdraw it after one year.

ICC spokesman FAD El-Abdullah told the BBC: “After Mr. Netanyahu’s visit, the court followed its standard procedures after issuing an arrest warrant. The court recalls that Hungary still assumes responsibility for working with the ICC.”

As a result of the issuance of the warrant, Hungarian authorities should technically arrest Netanyahu and hand it over to the Hague court, although member states do not always choose to enforce the ICC warrant.

In Europe, some ICC members say they will arrest Israeli leaders if he steps into the country, while others, including Germany, have announced that he will not be detained if he visits Netanyahu.

But German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Thursday that Hungary declared it a “bad day for international criminal law.”

She added: “Europe has clear provisions that apply to all EU member states, that’s Roman regulations. I have shown time and time again that no one in Europe has surpassed the law, and that applies to all areas of law.”

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the United States has condemned the International Criminal Court’s decision to arrest warrants for Netanyahu, who has visited the country since its release in November. Since then, his visit to Hungary marks Netanyahu’s first trip to Europe.

Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky greeted Netanyahu on the apron at Budapest Airport on Wednesday night to welcome him to the country.

Israel is appealing Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and strongly rejects the charges. It both denies the authority of the International Criminal Court and the legality of warrants.

Netanyahu said at the time that it was “a dark day in human history” and that the International Criminal Court had become “the enemy of mankind.”

“This is an anti-Semitic step, and it has a goal – stop me, stop us from having natural rights to resist the enemies who are trying to destroy us,” he said.

In the same ruling, the International Criminal Court judge also issued an arrest warrant against Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, who said he was dead. Hamas also rejected the allegations.

The visit comes after Israel announced it would expand its offensive in Gaza and establish a new military corridor to put pressure on Hamas as the deadly Israeli strike continued on Palestinian territory.

On October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks on southern Israel led by Hamas triggered a war in Gaza, killing about 1,200 people and causing 251 hostages to be robbed as Gaza. Hamas – Gaza health authorities that operated Gaza said that since then, Israeli military attacks have killed more than 50,000 Palestinians.