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The ICC has accused Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza (AP)
But Mr Orban, who is often at odds with his EU peers, said on Friday: “Today I will invite Israel’s prime minister Mr Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary.
“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.”
Mr Orban is a close ally of Mr Netanyahu, and also has warm ties with Vladimir Putin in Russia.
US President Joe Biden has called an International Criminal Court war crimes arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister “outrageous”. The US is Israel’s closest ally.
Mr Biden said in a statement that “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.”
EU heavyweights Germany and France declined to say what they would do if the Israeli leader entered their territory, while Britain – also an ICC member – suggested it would uphold international law but would not be drawn into hypotheticals.
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The ICC’s 124 member states – including Hungary – would be obliged to arrest Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant if they were to enter their territory (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
The Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Italy and Spain are among EU states that have also said they would meet their ICC commitments.
Mr Orban, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, has previously said he would not arrest Putin, who is also wanted by the court.
Mr Netanyahu thanked Mr Orban for his “moral clarity”, adding: “Faced with the shameful weakness of those who stood by the outrageous decision against the right of the state of Israel to defend itself, Hungary is standing by the side of justice and truth.”
The outgoing EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the court’s decisions must be binding. “It is not a political decision,” he said on Thursday.
“It is a decision of a court, of a court of justice, of an international court of justice. And the decision of the court has to be respected and implemented.”
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Publish date : 2024-11-22 09:07:00
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