Hungary’s government has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), just before Prime Minister Viktor Orban received his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant.
Orban’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, posted on Facebook that Hungary will initiate the withdrawal procedure today. Earlier Orban had said his country is withdrawing because the ICC has become too politicised, citing its decisions on Israel.
The withdrawal bill is likely to be approved by Hungary’s parliament, which is dominated by Orban’s Fidesz party. The ICC has not yet commented on Hungary’s announcement. A state’s withdrawal from the court takes effect only one year after the deposit of the withdrawal letter with the United Nations secretary-general’s office. So far, only Burundi and the Philippines have withdrawn from the court.
A senior official in Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government confirmed this hours after Israel’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Hungary for a state visit.
Orban had invited Netanyahu as soon as the warrant was issued last November, saying the ruling would have “no effect” in his country.
In November, ICC judges said there were “reasonable grounds” that Netanyahu bore “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu has condemned the ICC’s decision as “antisemitic”.
Netanyahu meanwhile hailed Hungary’s “bold and principled” decision to withdraw from the court. “It’s important for all democracies. It’s important to stand up to this corrupt organisation,” Netanyahu said.