Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán invited his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest despite an international warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, which Orbán dismissed as an “outrageously brazen” and “cynical” political act disguised as a judicial one.
Orbán said this in an interview with Kossuth Radio on Friday, a day after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant on suspicion that they starved people in Gaza. Israel has roundly denied these allegations, which the United States also disputed.
“The International Criminal Court has decided to intervene in an ongoing conflict, an ongoing conflict in the Middle East, dressing the decision in legal robes, when in fact it’s for political purposes. This is an outrageously brazen—and I would say cynical—decision. This is wrong in itself, it’s a complete discrediting of international law, but it can also pour oil on the flames. So one has no choice but to oppose this decision,” said Orbán.
“Later today I shall invite the Israeli prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, to visit Hungary, and in the invitation, I shall guarantee him that if he comes, the International Criminal Court’s verdict shall have no effect in Hungary,” he added.
“We shall act solely on the basis of the quality and state of Israeli-Hungarian relations, so if he accepts the invitation, the Israeli prime minister will be able to conduct meaningful negotiations here in Hungary in appropriate security,” Orbán said.
Hungary under Orban is one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the European Union, and has blocked on several occasions E.U. initiatives to isolate or punish Israel by preventing the consensus required for some such decisions.
