Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán have mentioned deepening defence cooperation, whereas praising the energy of their international locations’ ties.
The shut allies met in Budapest on Thursday, with the Hungarian authorities saying — simply hours after Netanyahu’s arrival — its intention to go away the Worldwide Legal Court docket (ICC).
Gergely Gulyás, the minister answerable for Orbán’s workplace, stated Hungary would provoke the termination process on Thursday.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister in November 2024 on suspicion of committing crimes towards humanity in connection together with his nation’s warfare in Gaza.
Shortly after the arrest warrant was issued, Orbán invited Netanyahu to Budapest, stating that he wouldn’t be arrested on Hungarian soil.
At their joint press convention in Budapest on Thursday, Orbán claimed the ICC was “not an neutral courtroom, not a courtroom of legislation, however a political courtroom”.
The Hungarian prime minister additionally reiterated his assist for Israel in its warfare towards Hamas in Gaza.
“No Hamas flags have been flown in Hungary, and they won’t be flown sooner or later,” Orbán stated.
Hungary’s chief emphasised the shut ties between the international locations, saying there are at present 150 Israeli corporations in his nation.
Orbán additionally confused that Hungary has bought a lot of defence and navy tools from Israel.
In his remarks, Netanyahu spoke of his fondness for Hungary, a rustic he first visited in 1991.
Netanyahu additionally thanked Orbán for taking what he referred to as a “daring and principled resolution” towards the ICC.
“This partnership, this friendship, in the present day is unparalleled. Could it develop even additional, could it develop even stronger. Thanks, my pal, Viktor,” he stated.
It is just Netanyahu’s second abroad journey because the ICC issued an arrest warrant towards him. The primary was to see US President Donald Trump in Washington earlier this yr.
The Israeli chief additionally has an invite to Germany from incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has beforehand criticised the ICC’s actions towards Netanyahu.
Hungary should ship a written notification of its intention to withdraw to the UN secretary-general, and the withdrawal will take impact inside a yr of the notification.
Fad El-Abdullah, a spokesperson for the ICC, stated that the courtroom “recollects that Hungary stays beneath an obligation to cooperate with the ICC”.
