NETANYAHU INVITED TO HUNGARY IN SPITE OF ARREST WARRANT – Orban strong on his stance to invite Israeli Leader and will ignore the ICC ruling
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee that an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu would “not be observed.” in Hungary.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.
Orban, whose country holds the European Union’s rotating six-month presidency, told state radio that the ICC’s arrest warrant was “wrong” and said the Israeli leader would be able to conduct negotiations in Hungary “in adequate safety.”
“Today I will invite Israel’s prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and in that invite I will guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents,” Orban said.
Since Orban and his Fidesz party swept to power in 2010, he and Netanyahu have forged close political relations. Netanyahu visited Budapest in 2017.
Israeli leaders and the White House have strongly condemned the ICC decision, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the warrants were not political and that all EU member states should respect and implement the court decision.
Within the EU, Hungary and the Czech Republic have been strong backers of Israel. The Terrorist Group Hamas instigated a war with Israel by killing 1,200 jews, including women and children on Oct 7th 2023.
Hamas took many hostages, many are still being held in Gaza to this day. The new acting leader of Hamas, considers the hostages as bargaining pawns.
