A leading human rights group has urged Hungary to either refuse entry to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or arrest him if he visits, citing an outstanding warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The request comes as Netanyahu prepares to travel to Budapest this week following an invitation from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant last November, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. As a member of the ICC, Hungary is legally required to cooperate with the court by arresting and surrendering suspects who enter its territory. Without its own enforcement agency, the ICC depends on member states to carry out arrests.
Orban’s invitation to Netanyahu has drawn sharp criticism, with rights groups calling it an insult to victims of the alleged crimes. They argue that Hungary should fulfill its legal responsibilities and comply with the ICC’s demands. The group also condemned several European nations, including France, Germany, and Italy, for failing to enforce the warrant.
Hungary’s government, however, has made it clear that it has no intention of cooperating. Orban previously dismissed the ICC’s decision as politically motivated and assured Netanyahu that the warrant would have no effect in Hungary. His stance has been widely condemned by human rights advocates, who accuse him of undermining the rule of law.
Amnesty International has also called on Hungary to detain Netanyahu if he arrives and hand him over to the ICC. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on other ICC member states to support the court’s efforts.
Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its military operations in Gaza, where more than 50,000 people have reportedly been killed since Hamas launched a cross-border attack on October 7, 2023. The international community remains divided over how to respond, but the debate over Netanyahu’s potential arrest is likely to intensify in the coming days.