Magyar: Hungary Will Arrest Netanyahu if ICC Membership Remains

Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar said Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would face arrest if he entered the country while subject to an International Criminal Court warrant, though an invitation for a future visit remains in place.

Magyar told reporters that Hungary would be obligated to act if it remains a member of the ICC, stating that “if a person wanted by the court enters our territory, that person must be taken into custody.”

The remarks signal a policy shift from outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who declined to enforce the warrant during Netanyahu’s visit to Budapest in April 2025 and had pledged that the Israeli leader would not be arrested. Orbán also initiated Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC.

Magyar said his government intends to halt that withdrawal and keep Hungary within the court’s framework. He added that he had conveyed the position directly to Netanyahu, even as both sides expressed interest in maintaining strong bilateral ties.

Netanyahu has accepted an invitation to visit Hungary later this year, a trip that could test Budapest’s legal obligations under the ICC against its political relationship with Israel.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. While member states are expected to cooperate with the court, several countries, including France, Germany, and Italy, have indicated that enforcement could be complicated by other legal and diplomatic considerations.

Magyar emphasized that Hungary values its relationship with Israel, noting the country’s large Jewish community and longstanding ties between the two nations.