Budapest, Hungary — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest on Thursday to a warm reception from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, marking his first visit to a European Union nation since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him in November 2024 for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The visit underscored Hungary’s bold decision to withdraw from the ICC, a move Netanyahu hailed as a courageous stand against what both leaders decried as a biased and politicized institution.
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At a joint press conference held in the historic Carmelite Monastery overlooking the Danube, Orbán set the tone with a scathing critique of the ICC. “This is no longer an impartial court, a rule-of-law court, but rather a political court. This has become clearest in light of its decisions on Israel,” he declared, flanked by Netanyahu and their respective delegations.
The Israeli leader, visibly buoyed by the support, congratulated Orbán for displaying “extraordinary courage in the face of antisemitism” and praised Hungary’s withdrawal as a historic step. “Hungary is the first European state to walk away from this corruption, and it will resonate with many around the world,” Netanyahu said, prompting applause from his team.
The visit, which saw Netanyahu greeted with full military honors despite the ICC warrant, highlighted Hungary’s defiance of international legal norms. Orbán, who extended the invitation months ago with a promise to ignore the court’s directive, framed the decision as a defense of national sovereignty. The move positions Hungary as the third country—after Burundi and the Philippines—to exit the ICC, a process that could take up to a year but has already sent shockwaves through the international community.
Both leaders seized the opportunity to align their narratives, warning of shared threats to what they called “Judeo-Christian civilization.” Netanyahu pointed to “radical Islam” as an existential danger, singling out Iran and its proxies—“the three H’s: Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.”
“Israel is determined to dismantle the Iranian axis of terror,” he asserted, casting his country’s actions as a bulwark for Europe as well as the Middle East. Orbán echoed this sentiment, tying his controversial immigration policies to the fight against antisemitism. “Illegal immigration into Europe is a driver of antisemitism, and the elites in Brussels are not dealing with it,” he charged, accusing the European Commission of neglecting Jewish safety. “We are showing zero tolerance, and Jews in Hungary can feel safe.”
The rhetoric drew sharp criticism from opponents. Hungary’s opposition Democratic Coalition condemned Orbán for hosting Netanyahu, accusing him of “intentionally provoking” EU and NATO allies. “Once again, Orbán distances himself from Hungary’s partners,” the social-democratic group said in a statement. Meanwhile, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, labeled the visit a “cynical effort to undermine the ICC” and a blow to global accountability.
Hours after the press conference, Netanyahu’s office revealed that he and Orbán had spoken by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly endorsed Hungary’s ICC withdrawal. The call, details of which remain sparse, underscored the trio’s shared skepticism of international institutions—a stance Trump has championed since his return to the White House in January 2025.
Beyond his talks with Orbán, Netanyahu met with Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, thanking him for Budapest’s unwavering support, according to state news agency MTI. The Israeli leader’s four-day itinerary includes a visit to Budapest’s Holocaust Museum, a symbolic gesture amid his defense of Israel’s policies.
The trip comes at a tumultuous time for Netanyahu domestically. In Israel, he faces a crisis over a Supreme Court ruling that suspended his government’s attempt to sack the head of the Shin Bet security service. Compounding the pressure is the “Qatargate” scandal, in which two of his close advisors are under arrest for allegedly accepting funds to advance Qatar’s interests in Israel. Despite these challenges, Netanyahu projected defiance in Budapest, framing his visit as a testament to resilience.
As the Israeli premier’s stay extends through Sunday, the Budapest summit has exposed deep fissures within the EU, where all 27 members are ICC signatories. While nations like Spain and Ireland have vowed to enforce the warrant, others, including Germany, have hinted at leniency. For now, Hungary’s gambit—backed by Netanyahu’s presence—casts a long shadow over the future of international justice, with Budapest emerging as a flashpoint in the clash between sovereignty and global accountability.
