Netanyahu despite arrest warrant in Hungary: Orban invites the scandal!

Netanyahu despite arrest warrant in Hungary: Orban invites the scandal!

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, docked at Budapest Airport in Hungary despite an international arrest warrant. He arrived shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, where he was received by Hungary's Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky. A meeting is planned with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who strongly condemned the arrest warrant against Netanyahu and actively invited him to Hungary vienna.at reported.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu in November in connection with the war in the Gaza Strip. According to ICC guidelines, more than 120 member states, including Germany, are obliged to arrest Netanyahu if he enters their territories. However, Israel and the USA are not members of the ICC, which means that arrest in these countries is not guaranteed. Hungary has in the past invoked the decision not to be bound by ICC rulings.

Legal situation and international obligations

The ICC began its work in 2002 under the Rome Statute. This statute has now been ratified by 120 states and contains important provisions on international law. For example, the jurisdiction of the ICC only applies if the state of the crime or the nationality of the perpetrator is a member of the Rome Statute or has recognized the jurisdiction. The court can act through a contracting state, the UN Security Council or on its own initiative, such as auswaertiges-amt.de explained.

Netanyahu finds himself in a unique situation as the Hungarian government, led by Orban, rejects the arrest warrant against him, as Hungary ratified the Rome Statute in 2001 but never officially announced its implementation. These ambiguities in the ratification could allow Netanyahu to travel in Hungary and possibly other countries without legal consequences.

Political reactions and the situation in Germany

Political reactions to Netanyahu's visit to Hungary are mixed. Friedrich Merz, Germany's likely future chancellor, has made a positive statement about a potential meeting with Netanyahu in Germany and assured that he will not be arrested there. These views are reflected in the broader debate about obligations and responses to international arrest warrants.

The ICC acts as a supplement to national jurisdiction and is not a substitute or final remedy. The court specializes in serious crimes, including genocide and war crimes. In this respect, Benjamin Netanyahu's stay in Hungary is not only the focus of national politics, but also in connection with larger legal and geopolitical issues.