Budapest (QNN)- Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar has signaled that Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu would face arrest if he enters Hungarian territory, directly undercutting earlier Israeli claims that Budapest had invited him despite an active international warrant.
Magyar said Hungary has a legal obligation to enforce rulings by the International Criminal Court. He stressed that any ICC member state must detain individuals wanted by the court if they enter its territory. His remarks challenge previous statements suggesting Netanyahu could visit Hungary without consequences.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. As a member of the court, Hungary remains bound by its statutes, which require cooperation with arrest orders issued by The Hague-based tribunal.
Magyar also confirmed he will halt Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC, a move initiated by outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Orbán had moved to exit the court and guaranteed Netanyahu immunity during a visit to Budapest in April 2025, despite the warrant.
The prime minister-elect said his government will reverse that course by June 2. He emphasized that Hungary will remain within the ICC framework and comply fully with its legal commitments. “If a country is a member of the ICC and a wanted person enters its territory, that person must be taken into custody,” he said.
Magyar added that he had already made this position clear to Netanyahu. His statement casts doubt on earlier remarks by Israel’s ambassador to Hungary, who claimed Netanyahu had been invited to attend commemorations of the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising later this year.
The issue highlights growing divisions among European states over how to handle the ICC warrant. Some European governments have refused to enforce ICC arrest warrants against Israeli officials. France has cited alleged 'diplomatic immunity concerns', while Olaf Scholz previously said he 'could not imagine' Germany arresting Netanyahu. Italy has also granted Netanyahu immunity.
