Netanyahu in Hungary: arrest warrant ignores - Orbán receives prime minister!

Netanyahu in Hungary: arrest warrant ignores - Orbán receives prime minister!

Budapest, Ungarn - Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, reached Hungary today on April 3, 2025, despite an international arrest warrant that was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November. His arrival at Budapest Airport took place shortly after 2:30 a.m. and was welcomed by Hungary Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky. Netanyahu came to a meeting with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban had previously convicted the arrest warrant and invited Netanyahu to a visit.

The legal implications are considerable. The ITHH arrest warrant is related to the events in the Gaza Strip. More than 120 states, including Germany, are obliged to enforce the arrest warrant if Netanyahu enters their territory. However, Israel and the United States are not members of the ICC and therefore not bound. Hungary is unimpressed by the ISTGH decisions, since it ratified the Roman statute in 2001, but it never officially put it into force due to constitutional concerns.

international reactions

The assumption that Netanyahu is not arrested in Hungary is increased by the support of a prominent political actor in Germany. Friedrich Merz, the expected future Chancellor, has promised a meeting with Netanyahu in Germany and assures that the Israeli Prime Minister would not be arrested there. This not only illustrates political positions within Europe, but also raises questions about the validity of international case law.

The International Criminal Court, which started his work in 2002, is an independent international organization, the jurisdiction of which extends to contracting states of the Roman statute. This statute, which was signed by 120 states in 1998, is the basic law basis for the work of the Court of Justice. The jurisdiction of the ICC refers to the most serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. One of the main tasks of the ISCHH is to supplement and not replace national jurisdiction.

The situation around Netanyahu and the ICC shows the challenges that arise from international cooperation in the field of international law. In particular, there is a principle of complementarity that ensures that the ICC can only act if states are not willing or able to pursue serious crimes. These framework conditions lead to complex legal and diplomatic debates that affect both political relationships between the states and the credibility of international bodies.

In this context, Germany's role as an active member state of the ICC becomes clear. Germany was instrumental in the elaboration of the Roman statute and is one of the largest contributors to the Court. With a clear legal situation and the adoption of a Cologne Criminal Code, Germany aims to maintain the rule of law and to fulfill international obligations.

Today's arrival of Netanyahu in Hungary not only raises questions about the application of international law, but also illuminates the tensions in the international community, especially with regard to the persecution of war crimes and the responsibility of nation states.

While Netanyahu is in Hungary, the pressure on international institutions such as the ICC remains in order to enforce comprehensive responsibility for human rights violations and to protect the global legal system. These developments are a crucial test for the authority and effectiveness of international legal norms.

For more information about the ICC and its way of working, please visit the Foreign office .

The article is based on reports of vienna.at .