Hungary has withdrawn from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the government announced.
A senior official of the government’s prime minister of Viktor Orban confirmed this several hours after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu arrived for a visit to the state under an ICC arrest warrant.
Orban invited Netanyahu as soon as the warrant was issued last November, saying the ruling in his country “has no effect.”
In November, an ICC judge said there was a “reasonable basis” for “criminal liability” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu has denounced the ICC decision as “anti-Semitism.”
The ICC, a global court, has the power to prosecute people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Hungary is a founding member of the ICC, counting 125 member states, and will become the first European Union country to withdraw from it. The withdrawal will not affect ongoing litigation.
At a joint press conference, Orban argued that the ICC has become a “political court.” He added that he “clearly stated” the court’s decision to issue a warrant against Israeli leaders.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu welcomed Hungary’s “bold and principled” decision and welcomed the decision to withdraw from the court.
“It’s important for all democracies. It’s important to stand up to this corrupt organization,” Netanyahu said.
Previous Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar thanked Orban with X for his “clear and strong moral stance alongside Israel.”
“The so-called International Criminal Court has lost its moral authority after trampling on the fundamental principles of international law with enthusiasm for damaging Israel’s right to self-defense,” Sa’ar added.
Hungary’s decision is consistent with broader foreign policy stances under Orban, which has developed close ties with Israel and adopted critical views of international organizations that are perceived as violating national sovereignty.
Hungary’s withdrawal could bring symbolic weight and political implications, but it does not significantly change the ICC’s operational capabilities or legal framework.
The courts have faced similar challenges in the past and continue to function with a wide range of international aid.
However, Hungary’s criticism of the ICC as “political biased” and Netanyahu’s decision to withdraw as a visit may set precedents where other countries question or abandon their commitment to international justice based on political alliances or differences of opinion with certain rulings.
The United States, Russia, China and North Korea are one of the countries that are not part of the ICC and therefore do not recognize its jurisdiction.
Israel is not part of the treaty either, but the ICC determined in 2021 that the UN Secretary-General had jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, as the UN Secretary-General accepted that it was a member of the Palestinians.
According to Article 127 of the Roman Act, Hungary must send a written notice to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to leave the treaty.
ICC spokesman Fad El-Abdullah told the BBC: “On Netanyahu’s visit, the court followed standard procedures after issuing the warrant of arrest. The court recalls that Hungary remains under the obligation to cooperate with the ICC.”
As the warrant was issued, Hungarian authorities should technically arrest Netanyahu and hand him over to the Hague court, but member states do not always choose to enforce the ICC warrant.
In Europe, some ICC countries said they would arrest Israeli leaders if he stepped into their country, but other countries such as Germany announced they would not be detained if he visited.
The US has condemned the ICC’s decision to issue a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, and since it was issued in November, he has visited the country. His visit to Hungary marks Netanyahu’s first trip to Europe since.
Hungarian Defense Minister Christophe Serai Bobrovnitzky greeted Netanyahu on the runway at Budapest airport on Wednesday night and welcomed him to the country.
Israel has sued a warrant for arrest of Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Joa Garant, and has strongly refused to file charges. It both denys the ICC’s authority and warrants.
Netanyahu said at the time that it was a “dark day in human history” and that the ICC became “an enemy of humanity.”
“This is an anti-Semitic step that has one goal: to stop me and discourage me from having a natural right to protect myself from enemies that try to destroy us,” he said.
In the same ruling, the ICC judge also issued a warrant against Hamas Commander Mohamed Deif, who said Israel had died. Hamas also refused the allegation.
The visit comes as Israel announces it will expand its Gaza attack and establish a new military corridor that will put pressure on Hamas as a fatal Israeli strike continues across Palestinian territory.
The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages to Gaza. Since then, Israeli military attacks have killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, Hamaslan Gaza health officials say.
