Hungary has announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking a significant shift in its international legal commitments.

Cliff notes – Hungary to withdraw from International Criminal Court

Hungary withdraws from ICC – announced by senior official Gergely Gulyás.
Timing – Announcement made as Israeli PM Netanyahu visits Budapest.
ICC arrest warrant – Issued for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes.
Orbán’s stance – Dismissed the warrant, saying it has “no effect” in Hungary.
Hungary was a founding ICC member – Now joins countries like the U.S., Russia, and China in rejecting its authority.
ICC’s jurisdiction – Covers war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity in member states.
Israel’s rejection – Israel does not recognize ICC jurisdiction but the court ruled it has authority over Palestinian territories.

Hungary has announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking a significant shift in its international legal commitments. The announcement was made by Gergely Gulyás, a senior official in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government, shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest for a state visit. Netanyahu, who is currently the subject of an ICC arrest warrant, had been invited by Orbán as soon as the court issued the warrant last November. At the time, the Hungarian leader dismissed the ruling, stating it would have “no effect” in his country.

The ICC issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November, citing “reasonable grounds” to believe he bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu has strongly condemned the court’s decision, calling it “antisemitic.”

Hungary has been a founding member of the ICC, which currently has 125 member states. However, several major global powers, including the United States, Russia, China, and Israel, do not recognize the court’s jurisdiction. While Israel itself rejects the ICC’s authority, the court ruled in 2021 that it had jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, as the UN Secretary-General had accepted Palestinian membership. The ICC was established to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, but its rulings and jurisdiction remain contested by various nations.