Amnesty International Urges Hungary to Arrest Netanyahu Over War Crimes

Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)-
Amnesty International has called on Hungary to arrest and surrender Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if he visits Budapest on Wednesday. The human rights organization said that hosting Netanyahu would violate international law and embolden Israel to commit more crimes against Palestinians.

Netanyahu’s planned five-day trip to Hungary marks his first visit to a country that is a signatory to the ICC’s Rome Statute since the court issued an arrest warrant against him in November 2024. The ICC accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including:
* Using starvation as a weapon in Gaza
* Intentionally attacking civilians
* Murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts

Despite this, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has assured that Netanyahu can visit without fear of arrest. Hungary was among the first countries to reject the ICC warrant, calling it a “disgraceful decision.”

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty’s head of Global Research, Advocacy, and Policy, condemned Hungary’s invitation.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu is an alleged war criminal”, she said. “Any trip to an ICC member state that does not end in his arrest would embolden Israel to commit further crimes. Hungary’s invitation shows contempt for international law.”

She also warned that allowing Netanyahu to evade justice would be a betrayal of the ICC’s mission to hold leaders accountable for crimes that “shock the human conscience.”

While Hungary has pledged not to detain Netanyahu, Amnesty noted that traveling there could still put him at risk of arrest. The Israeli leader must pass through the airspace of other ICC member states, some of which have warned that they would detain him upon arrival.

In contrast, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland—also ICC members—have signaled they would not enforce the arrest warrant. The United States has even sanctioned the ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, for pursuing charges against Israeli officials.

Amnesty urged the ICC to stand firm against political pressure and ensure Netanyahu faces trial. The organization also called on Hungary to uphold its legal obligations and apply universal jurisdiction to prosecute Israeli war crimes.

“Powerful leaders, like Netanyahu, must no longer enjoy the prospect of perpetual impunity,” Amnesty stated.