Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had reportedly invited Netanyahu to Budapest just a day after the ICC arrest warrant was issued in November.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested Hungary to provide clarification regarding its failure to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during his recent visit to Budapest.
In November last year, the court issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in its genocidal assault on the Gaza Strip.
According to a statement on Wednesday, the ICC made its request to Hungary under Article 87(7) of the Rome Statute, which addresses failure to comply with a request to cooperate by the court, “thereby thereby preventing the Court from exercising its functions and powers under the Statute.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has initiated Article 87(7) proceedings against Hungary for refusing to cooperate with the ICC request to arrest Netanyahu while the fugitive was visiting Hungary. pic.twitter.com/3n3sUcAmr6
— Craig Mokhiber (@CraigMokhiber) April 16, 2025
It noted that on April 3, 2025, “the Registry, having confirmed that Mr Netanyahu had arrived in Hungary a few hours earlier that day, transmitted to Hungary the request for the provisional arrest of Mr Netanyahu pursuant to article 92 of the Statute.”
“On 11 April 2025, the Registry filed with the Chamber the report about the transmission of the request to Hungary, providing it, inter alia, with information that Mr Netanyahu was present in Hungary from 3 until 6 April 2025, when he left the country,” the statement added.
Hungary was requested to provide a clarification submission by May 23, 2025.
The Hungarian authorities have reportedly not issued an immediate response to the court’s request.
Withdrawal from ICC
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had reportedly invited Netanyahu to Budapest just a day after the arrest warrant was issued, and had condemned it as “shameful.”
The government has since announced it would begin the process of withdrawing from the ICC following Netanyahu’s visit.
The ICC’s arrest warrant compels the court’s 124 member states to arrest Netanyahu or Gallant should they enter their territory.
Warrants Defended
In January, Karim Khan, the Prosecutor for the ICC, defended the issuance of the arrest warrants, accusing Israel of making “no real effort” to investigate the charges.
The ICC have started proceedings against Hungary for inviting Benjamin Netanyahu
to Hungary
and then failing to arrest him.
Just a start.
All those backing this genocide are guilty (including
&
) and should be in The Hague. pic.twitter.com/enGtUCsAWb
— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) April 16, 2025
The US House of Representatives voted to sanction the ICC after issuing the arrest warrants.
Escalating Death Toll
Since Israel’s reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, it has killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip through a bloody and ongoing aerial bombardment.
On October 7, 2023, following a Palestinian Resistance operation in southern Israel, the Israeli military launched a genocidal war against the Palestinians, killing over 51,000, wounding more than 116,000, with over 14,000 still missing.
Fire rips through tents sheltering displaced Palestinians after an Israeli strike on Khan Younis camp in southern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/JgCOY0TsZg
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 17, 2025
Despite habitual condemnation by many countries around the world of the Israeli genocide, little has been done to hold Israel accountable.
Israel is currently under investigation for the crime of genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — are now officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The Israeli genocide has been largely defended, supported, and financed by Washington and a few other Western powers.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Orban’s refusal to have Netanyahu arrested, puts him in Contempt of Court. The US Congress’s sanctioning of the ICC, makes them guilty – with malice aforethought – of Perversion and Obstruction of Justice, which is a felony in all Common Law countries.
I’m sure Orban’s wallet is a lot fatter now. He’s a coward. He should have lured Nazinyahu there, then said,
” well guess what? we don’t tolerate baby-killers ” and arrested him.