Netanyahu to meet Viktor Orban in Hungary, amid fears of ICC arrest

Hungary emphasized that Netanyahu would not be arrested during his visit despite the International Criminal Court's existing arrest warrant against him.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during joint statements at the Prime Minister’s Office. (photo credit: DEBBIE HILL / POOL / AFP)
Prime Minister Viktor Orban shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during joint statements at the Prime Minister’s Office.
(photo credit: DEBBIE HILL / POOL / AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to Hungary to meet with Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban on Wednesday.

Netanyahu is set to return to Israel on Sunday morning.

Hungary emphasized that Netanyahu would not be arrested during his visit despite the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s existing arrest warrant against him.

Orban's chief of staff Gergely Gulyas previously stated that "Netanyahu will arrive before Easter.

"Once the date of the visit is confirmed, we will, of course, announce it, taking into account the extremely important security considerations in this case," Gergely Gulyas told a news conference.

THE INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court building in The Hague: The ICC has no viable plan to bring to justice the Hamas leaders who conceived the mega-atrocity in Israel, or the terrorist organization’s supporters who slaughtered 1,200 civilians and seized 251 people as hostages on October 7, 2023 (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)
THE INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court building in The Hague: The ICC has no viable plan to bring to justice the Hamas leaders who conceived the mega-atrocity in Israel, or the terrorist organization’s supporters who slaughtered 1,200 civilians and seized 251 people as hostages on October 7, 2023 (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)

European nations warned Netanyahu he would be arrested upon entry

Several other European nations have said that Netanyahu would be detained if he set foot on their soil.

All European Union member states, including Hungary, are members of the ICC, which means they are required to enforce its warrants. Orban, a right-wing nationalist, has often been at odds with the EU over democratic standards and human rights in Hungary.

 The ICC issued arrest warrants on November 21, 2024 for Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, as well as for Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza war.