Orban Offers Netanyahu Safe Haven in Hungary Amid ICC Warrant

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Friday that he would extend an invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, assuring that Hungary would not recognize or enforce the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu. The ICC had issued warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defense chief, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict.

Orban, speaking on state radio, criticized the ICC's decision, calling the arrest warrant "wrong," and promised that Netanyahu would be able to visit Hungary and carry out diplomatic discussions without fear of arrest. "I guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents," Orban declared.

Since Orban's Fidesz party came to power in 2010, Hungary and Israel have developed strong political ties. Netanyahu had visited Budapest in 2017, further cementing this relationship. While the Israeli government and the White House condemned the ICC's decision, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated that the warrants were not politically motivated and emphasized that all EU member states should respect and enforce the ICC's rulings.