International-News

Hungary withdraws its membership of the ICC: decision after Netanyahu’s arrival

Orbán initiates withdrawal procedure in support of Israel and against the ICC

The Hungarian government has announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move that comes at a sensitive time, just after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official visit to Budapest. Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, confirmed the news, stating that the government will formally start the process of exiting the ICC, in line with the constitutional and international legal framework.

The Hungarian decision comes in a peculiar political context: Netanyahu, subject to an arrest warrant issued by the Court for war crimes related to the Gaza conflict, was welcomed in Budapest with a message of support from Orbán. The Hungarian PM wrote on X: ‘Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Budapest, the safest place in Europe. Welcome to Hungary’.

The announcement was welcomed by Israel. The Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, praised the Hungarian government’s stance, expressing gratitude for supporting Israel. In a post, Sa’ar accused the ICC of losing its ‘moral authority’ after issuing the warrant against Netanyahu, arguing that the ICC was harming Israel’s right to self-defence.

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