ICC tells Hungary to explain why it didn’t arrest PM Netanyahu

In an official document published on Wednesday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) asked the Hungarian government to explain why it didn’t arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit to the country.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Nov. 21, 2024, and relies on national governments to enforce the ruling.

The document released on Wednesday noted that the ICC arrest warrant “instructed the Registrar to send a request to any State Party to provisionally arrest Mr Netanyahu when the opportunity to do so would arise.”

It then stated that after Netanyahu arrived in Hungary on April 3, “the Registry…transmitted to Hungary the request for the provisional arrest of Mr Netanyahu pursuant to article 92 of the [Rome] Statute.”

Hungary refused to comply with the ICC’s request.

The document stated that Hungary’s actions “warrant the opening of proceedings pursuant to article 87(7) of the Statute,” which outlines what to do when “a State Party fails to comply with a request to cooperate by the Court contrary to the provisions of this Statute, thereby preventing the Court from exercising its functions and powers under the Statute.”

During Netanyahu’s visit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that Hungary would withdraw from the ICC.

“This is no longer an impartial court, a rule-of-law court, but rather a political court,” Orbán said during a press conference with Netanyahu. “This has become the clearest in light of its decisions on Israel.”

Netanyahu praised Orbán for the decision.

“You stand with us at the EU, you stand with us at the UN, and you’ve just taken a bold and principled position on the ICC,” he said. “It’s important for all democracies to stand up to this corrupt organization.”

Hungary is not the only country promising not to enforce the ICC arrest warrants.

The Times of Israel reported that “Argentina, the Czech Republic and Romania” have promised not to arrest Netanyahu if he visits, that “Poland said it would seek to shield him from arrest,” and that “France and Italy said they believed he had immunity, as a world leader from a state not party to the ICC.”