Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu (left) and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban at the Royal Castle in Budapest, 3 April 2025. © AP photograph / Denes Erdos
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embarked on a four-day authoritative visit to Hungary against an arrest warrant issued by the global Criminal Court (ICC).
Hungary is simply a signatory of the Rome Statute – a treaty granting the ICC powers to prosecute war crimes – which obliges them to detain Netanyahu.At the same time, the Israeli leader Budapest confirmed that he would formally retreat from the document, as suggested by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in February.Upon arriving at the airport on Thursday morning, defence Minister Kristof Shalay-Bobrovniczky welcomed Netanyahu, sharing photos of this minute on Facebook.
Orban later published a photograph alongside the Prime Minister of Israel, announcing Budapest "the safest place in Europe".Netanyahu faces serious accusations of war crimes by the global Criminal Court connected with Israel's military intervention in the Gaza Strip – a consequence to a fatal raid on Israel by Hamas in October 2023.
He and erstwhile defence minister Yoav Gallant are suspected of utilizing hunger as a method of conducting war, in addition to another atrocities.
Israel condemned the arrest warrants as resulting from anti-Semitic prejudice by an global body.
Welcome ceremony with Hungarian Honor defender for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 3 April 2025. © AP photograph / Denes Erdos
Protesters in Poland had previously called on their government to arrest Netanyahu during the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in January.
Although Warsaw publically stated that it would not enforce the ICC's order, its assurances proved irrelevant due to the fact that Netanyahu yet did not take part.In the country, the Prime Minister continues to fight charges of home corruption.
A increasing scandal named ‘Qatargate’ includes claims that his close associates accepted money from Dohy in exchange for promoting her interests in Israel.
Hungarian president Tamas Sulyok (on the right) meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu on 3 April 2025. © Noemi Bruzak / MTI via AP
On his departure to Hungary, Netanyahu dismissed the charges as ‘false’ inventions by Ronen Bar, head of the Israeli interior safety Agency Shin Bet, whose resignation due to "lost of trust" was blocked last period by the ultimate Court of the country.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/615185-netanyahu-hungary-visit-icc/
