Hungary (TIP): Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday (November 22) extended an invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, openly defying an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaking on state radio, Orbán accused the ICC of “interfering in an ongoing conflict for political purposes.”
Netanyahu responded by thanking Orbán for his “moral clarity” on the matter, stating that Hungary stood firmly “by the side of justice and truth.”
The ICC had issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of using “starvation as a method of warfare.” The move was swiftly criticised by allies such as the US, Austria, and Argentina. However, Hungary went further by formally inviting Netanyahu.
Orbán described the ICC’s actions as “outrageously impudent” and “cynical,” vowing to “defy this decision, and it will have no consequences for him.”
“There is no choice here, we have to defy this decision … I will guarantee Mr Netanyahu, if he comes, that the judgment will have no effect in Hungary and that we will not follow its terms,” he said on Friday.
It is worth noting that ICC member states are obligated to enforce arrest warrants and detain suspects upon their arrival. However, the court lacks mechanisms to directly enforce its rulings.
The UK and EU have both indicated they are bound by the ICC charter and suggested that Netanyahu would be detained if he entered their territories.
“The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic and international law,” Downing Street stated. The EU reiterated this stance, with Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell emphasising that the warrants are binding.
“This decision is binding on all states, all state parties of the court, including all members of the European Union,” Borrell said.
Israel has denounced the ICC’s move, labelling it “antisemitic” in an official statement. (AP)