Hungary to Withdraw from International Criminal Court Amid Netanyahu Visit

Hungary announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), just hours after welcoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest with full ceremonial honors - despite an international arrest warrant issued against him.

The move underscores Hungary's defiance of international legal obligations and positions it as the only European Union member state to formally begin exiting the court. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government, which had previously declared it would not enforce the ICC warrant, greeted Netanyahu at Buda Castle with a red carpet and military honor guard, opting for diplomacy over detention.

Netanyahu, facing charges at The Hague over alleged war crimes in Gaza amid Israel's expanding military operations, praised Hungary’s move as “bold and principled.” The Israeli leader thanked Orbán for “standing with Israel,” saying it was essential for democracies to push back against what he called a “corrupt organization.”

“This is no longer an impartial court, a rule-of-law court, but rather a political court,” Orbán stated during a joint press conference, referencing recent ICC actions against Israel. He added that the court’s conduct had become particularly biased in its treatment of Israeli leadership.

The court issued the warrant against Netanyahu following Israel's military response to a deadly October attack by Hamas. Israel has dismissed the ICC’s charges as politically driven and antisemitic, arguing the court has no jurisdiction and lacks legitimacy when targeting the elected leader of a democratic state acting in self-defense.

Hungarian officials echoed that stance. The arrest warrant was labeled “brazen,” and Gergely Gulyás, Orbán’s chief of staff, announced on Facebook that Hungary would begin the withdrawal process “in accordance with constitutional and international law frameworks.”

However, under the Rome Statute, withdrawal cannot take effect for at least a year - leaving Hungary in breach of its current treaty obligations by refusing to arrest Netanyahu.

“Hungary remains under a duty to cooperate with the ICC,” court spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah clarified following the announcement.

Orbán had invited Netanyahu to visit as early as November, just one day after the arrest warrant was issued, signaling Hungary’s intent to challenge international norms. The visit marks one of Netanyahu’s few foreign trips since the warrant, and highlights Budapest’s growing alignment with leaders like former U.S. President Donald Trump, who have expressed contempt for global judicial institutions.

Only two countries - Burundi and the Philippines - have previously left the ICC, both in response to the court opening criminal investigations into their respective heads of government. Venezuela has signaled similar intentions but has yet to take action.

Hungary’s announcement not only solidifies its outsider status within the European Union but also deepens the rift between Brussels and Budapest over rule-of-law issues and international accountability.