In a significant diplomatic move, the Hungarian government announced its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Gergely Gulyas, a senior official in Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government, revealed this decision shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Hungary for a state visit.
Background and Context
Netanyahu is currently under an ICC arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. In November, ICC judges determined there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu bore criminal responsibility for these actions. Netanyahu has denounced the ICC’s decision as “antisemitic.”
Prime Minister Orban had extended an invitation to Netanyahu immediately after the warrant was issued. He stated that it would have “no effect” in Hungary. This move underscores Hungary’s stance on the matter and its willingness to defy international legal frameworks.
ICC Membership and Jurisdiction
Hungary is a founding member of the ICC, which has 125 member states. Notably, countries like the United States, Russia, China, and Israel do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. The ICC has the authority to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes within the territories of states party to the Rome Statute, its founding treaty.
While Israel rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction, the court ruled in 2021 that it had jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza because the UN’s secretary general had accepted the Palestinians were a member. Hungary’s withdrawal signifies a notable shift in its relationship with international legal institutions.
This withdrawal by Hungary marks a significant shift in its international legal stance. Aligning with its current diplomatic posture under Prime Minister Orban’s leadership.
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