Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday invited his Israeli counterpart to visit the European country the day after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, accused Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant of committing “crimes against humanity and war crimes” during the war in Gaza. The court said the two used starvation as a “method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid to people living in the Palestinian enclave. Israeli officials have denied the charges.
Speaking on Hungarian state radio, Mr. Orban said the decision from the ICC was “outrageously brazen” and based on politics rather than legal reasoning. He vowed to defy the arrest warrants.
“This is fundamentally wrong [and] is a complete discrediting of international law,” Mr. Orban said. “But, it can also add fuel to the flame. Therefore, there is no other option but to oppose this decision.”
In a statement issued later Friday, Mr. Netanyahu said he appreciated the show of support.
“Against the shameful weakness of those who have lined up alongside the outrageous decision against the state of Israel’s right to defend itself, Hungary — like our friends in the U.S. — has shown moral clarity and steadfastness on the side of justice and the truth,” he said.
Some members of the European Union, such as Ireland, Italy and Spain, have indicated they would meet their international obligations and comply with the ICC’s arrest warrants for Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant. But Germany and France haven’t announced what they would do if the two Israeli leaders crossed their borders.
The ICC doesn’t have its own police and has limited means to compel countries to act.
“I will guarantee [Mr. Netanyahu] that if he comes, the International Criminal Court’s verdict will not affect Hungary. We will not adhere to its provisions but will proceed solely on the basis of the quality and state of Israeli-Hungarian relations,” Mr. Orban said. “This means that Prime Minister Netanyahu can conduct substantive negotiations here in Hungary in sufficient safety if he accepts the invitation.”
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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