Hungary to withdraw from ICC as Netanyahu visits

Hungary said it would withdraw from the International Criminal Court as it welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes.

Budapest’s announcement on Thursday represents a blow to the court, which had appeared to be “growing in confidence,” as one foreign policy scholar put it, with attempted prosecutions in recent years of Netanyahu over his country’s actions in Gaza, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war.

Because the ICC lacks enforcement powers, it relies on member states to act on its behalf. Yet, as The New York Times noted, “instead of arresting Mr. Netanyahu upon his arrival in Budapest… Hungary rolled out the red carpet.”