Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has issued formal invitation for his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to visit his country, Orban's office has confirmed. This follows immediately on the heels of The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing final arrest warrants for Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for overseeing alleged war crimes in Gaza.
"Today I will invite Israel’s prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and in that invite I will guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents," Orban said Friday.
Hungary currently holds the European Union’s rotating six-month presidency, and this sets Orban up once again to clash with EU consensus, given EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has demanded that all member states execute the arrest warrant if Netanyahu or Gallant travel to their territories.
Orban on Friday told state radio that the ICC move is "wrong" and asserted that the Israeli prime minister would be able to engage in talks in Hungary "in adequate safety".
The NY Times further cited Orban as saying the following:
Inviting Mr. Netanyahu to visit, he said that Hungary "will ensure your safety and freedom."
Mr. Orban’s vow to protect Mr. Netanyahu from arrest made Hungary the first European Union country to openly flout the I.C.C. ruling.
Thursday's ICC warrant issuance also got a swift response from the White House, which said it "fundamentally rejects" the move and won't recognize it (though the US has never been a member state of the ICC).
"Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security" President Joe Biden said in reaction, agreeing with Israel that it is "outrageous."
The reaction in Europe has been mixed. While all 27 member states of the EU are part of the ICC, and the majority have said they plan to enforce the ruling. However, Germany has said it is "examining" how to respond while signaling it's unlikely to enforce it if PM Netanyahu visits the country.
But none have been so bold as Orban in quickly issuing an open invitation for Netanyahu to visit, in direct defiance of the ICC, despite Hungary being a signatory to the Rome Statutes.