In addition to Netanyahu, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for “crimes against humanity and war crimes” in the Gaza Strip during the war against Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Although the warrant would mean that Netanyahu and Gallant could be arrested if they travel to any of the 120 countries that are parties to the ICC, U.S. President Joe Biden called the issuance of the warrants “outrageous.”
But Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said that the Netherlands would arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country.
Now, Orbán becomes the first leader of an ICC signatory country to say that the Hague-based court’s ruling will have no effect in his country. Earlier, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala denounced the ICC decision, and Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg also called it “incomprehensible,” but both stopped short of publicly calling it invalid.
“We will proceed solely on the basis of the quality and state of Israeli-Hungarian relations,” Orbán added.