Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Hungary between Wednesday, April 2nd and Sunday, April 6th, in what will be his second trip abroad after the International Criminal Court (ICC) last year issued an arrest warrant against him over allegations of war crimes in Gaza.
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) March 31, 2025
At the invitation of @PM_ViktorOrban, Israeli Prime Minister @netanyahu will pay an official visit to Hungary from April 2 to 6. pic.twitter.com/wannt9PzhO
In a ruling lambasted by conservative politicians and commentators all over the world, the ICC claimed that Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant bore “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Hungarian conservative prime minister Viktor Orbán called the decision “outrageously brazen” and said the judgment “will have no effect in Hungary.” He immediately invited Netanyahu to visit the central European nation.
Despite Hungary being a member of the ICC, it has stated that it would not enforce the warrant.
This will be Netanyahu’s second trip abroad since the ICC’s decision, following a visit to Washington in February where he met U.S. President Donald Trump.
In February, Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC, saying the court in The Hague had “abused its power.” Trump’s order said the tribunal had engaged in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel,” referring to ICC probes into alleged war crimes by U.S. service members in Afghanistan and Israeli troops in Gaza.
Commentators have in recent months pointed out the absurdity of equating the murderous terrorists of Hamas with democratic officials defending their country.
