Hungary To Quit ICC, Ignoring Arrest Warrant As Netanyahu Welcomed In Budapest | rssama.com

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary will statesman nan process of withdrawing from nan International Criminal Court, an charismatic said Thursday, conscionable arsenic Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to reddish carpet curen successful nan country’s superior contempt an apprehension warrant from nan world’s only imperishable world tribunal for warfare crimes and genocide.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave nan Israeli leader a invited pinch afloat subject honors successful Budapest’s Castle District. The 2 adjacent friends stood broadside by broadside arsenic a subject set played and an elaborate convoy of soldiers connected horseback and carrying swords and bayoneted rifles marched by.

As nan ceremonial unfolded, Orbán’s main of staff, Gergely Gulyás, released a little connection saying that “the authorities will initiate nan withdrawal procedure” for leaving nan court, which could return a twelvemonth aliases much to complete.

Orbán later said that he believes nan ICC is “a governmental court.”

Netanyahu makes 2nd travel overseas since warrant

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (L) receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu connected April 3, 2025, successful Budapest, Hungary. Netanyahu's scheduled four-day sojourn to Hungary marks his 2nd overseas travel since nan International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his apprehension successful November, accusing him of perpetrating warfare crimes successful Gaza. Hungary announced during Netanyahu's sojourn that nan state would statesman nan process of withdrawing from nan ICC, contempt being a founding personnel of nan world tribunal.

Janos Kummer via Getty Images

Netanyahu’s sojourn to Hungary, which is scheduled to past until Sunday, was only his 2nd overseas travel since nan ICC issued nan warrant against him successful November.

The ICC, based successful The Hague, Netherlands, said erstwhile issuing its warrant that location was logic to judge Netanyahu and erstwhile Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had committed crimes against humanity successful relationship pinch nan warfare successful Gaza.

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, astir of whom person since been released successful ceasefire agreements and different deals. Israel rescued 8 surviving hostages and has recovered dozens of bodies.

The ICC besides issued apprehension warrants for 3 Hamas leaders who were later killed.

Israel’s violative successful Gaza has killed much than 50,000 Palestinians, according to nan enclave’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t opportunity whether those killed are civilians aliases combatants. Israel says it has killed astir 20,000 militants, without providing evidence, and resumed its run past month, shattering a ceasefire.

After nan ICC issued nan warrant, Orbán invited Netanyahu to Budapest, and accused nan tribunal of “interfering successful an ongoing conflict for governmental purposes.” That invitation was successful unfastened defiance of nan court’s ruling and contradicted Hungary’s obligations arsenic a signatory to apprehension immoderate suspects facing a warrant if they group ft connected their soil.

All countries successful nan 27-member European Union, including Hungary, are signatories, but nan tribunal relies connected personnel countries to enforce its rulings. Hungary joined nan court successful 2001 during Orbán’s first word arsenic premier minister.

‘No longer an impartial court’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) speaks during a news convention alongside Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán connected April 3, 2025 successful Budapest, Hungary. Netanyahu's scheduled four-day sojourn to Hungary marks his 2nd overseas travel since nan International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his apprehension successful November, accusing him of perpetrating warfare crimes successful Gaza. Hungary announced during Netanyahu's sojourn that nan state would statesman nan process of withdrawing from nan ICC, contempt being a founding personnel of nan world tribunal.

Janos Kummer via Getty Images

At a news convention pursuing their meeting, Orbán said that he believes nan ICC is “no longer an impartial court, not a tribunal of law, but a governmental court. And this was astir intelligibly shown by nan decisions regarding Israel.”

“I americium convinced that this different important world judicial forum has been degraded into a governmental tool, pinch which we cannot and do not want to engage,” Orbán said.

The Hungarian leader, regarded by critics arsenic nan EU’s astir intransigent spoiler successful nan bloc’s decision-making, is seen arsenic utilizing immoderate of nan strategies that Netanyahu has been accused of employing successful Israel: subjugation of nan judiciary, antagonism toward the EU and cracking down connected civil nine and quality authorities groups.

During nan news conference, wherever journalists weren’t permitted to inquire questions, Netanyahu praised Hungary’s decision, thanking Orbán for taking a “bold and opinionated decision.”

“The ICC directs its actions against america fighting a conscionable warfare pinch conscionable means,” Netanyahu said, calling Hungary “the first authorities that walks retired of this corruption and this rottenness, and I deliberation it’ll beryllium profoundly appreciated, not only successful Israel but successful many, galore countries astir nan world.”

ICC has criticized Hungary

Activists from nan International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network protestation extracurricular nan Polish embassy successful London against assurances made by Polish President Andrzej Duda that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not look apprehension if he attended nan Auschwitz memorial connected Holocaust Memorial Day, connected Jan. 27, 2025. The International Criminal Court has issued an apprehension warrant against Netanyahu for warfare crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel's ongoing demolition of Gaza.

Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images

Netanyahu’s sojourn to Hungary was his 2nd opportunity to recreation overseas pursuing nan issuance of nan warrant — nan first was erstwhile he met pinch U.S. President Donald Trump successful Washington successful February. It was besides a chance to task an image of statesmanship while he faces mounting discontent astatine home.

He has faced wide protests by Israelis who fearfulness his determination to resume nan warfare successful Gaza endangers nan lives of nan remaining hostages held by Hamas. He has besides sparked anger by trying to occurrence aliases sideline apical officials successful what critics position arsenic a powerfulness grab and an onslaught connected authorities institutions.

Along pinch resuming its violative successful Gaza past month, Israel halted each imports of food, substance and humanitarian assistance to nan territory’s 2 cardinal Palestinians to unit Hamas to merchandise much hostages and judge projected changes to nan truce agreement.

The ICC has criticized Hungary’s determination to defy its warrant for Netanyahu, pinch nan court’s spokesperson, Fadi El Abdallah, saying connected Thursday that nan tribunal “recalls that Hungary remains nether a work to cooperate pinch nan ICC.”

Hamas said successful a connection that it considers nan move by Hungary an “immoral stance that shows collusion pinch a warfare criminal who is moving distant from justice.” The militant group called connected Hungary to reverse its determination and manus Netanyahu complete to nan ICC to guidelines trial.

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Molly Quell successful Amsterdam and Bassem Mroue successful Beirut contributed.