Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, on Friday (Nov 22) Extended an Invitation to his Israeli Counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to Visit the European Country in open Defiance of an Arrest Warrant Issued by the International Criminal Court

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, on Friday (Nov 22) extended an invitation to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the European country in open defiance of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

While speaking to state radio, Orban accused the ICC of “interfering in an ongoing conflict for political purposes.”

Netanyahu in response thanked Orban for “moral clarity” on the issue, saying Hungary stood strong “by the side of justice and truth”.

The ICC issued the arrest warrant against Netanyahu, and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant earlier on Thursday, accusing the duo of using “starvation as a method of warfare”.

The move was immediately slammed by like-minded nations like the United States, Austria and Argentina but Hungary went a step ahead by inviting Netanyahu over.

It is to be noted that ICC member nations are required to abide by the warrants and detain suspects the moment they set foot on their soil.

However, the court lacks the ways to enforce its rulings.

The United Kingdom and European Union have said they are bound by the ICC charter and hinted that they would detain Netanyahu once he enters their territory.

“The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law,” a statement by Downing Street read.

The EU on Thursday said the warrants against Israeli leaders were not political and should be respected.

“This decision is a binding decision and all states, all state parties of the court, which include all members of the European Union, are binding to implement this court decision,” said the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Israel on the other hand labelled the move as “antisemitic” in a statement.

Although the 27 member states of the European Union are part of the court, the US and Israel are not.

US President Joe Biden condemned the decision by the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant as "outrageous."

Arrest warrants for the pair were issued alongside one for Hamas commander Mohammed Deif for crimes against humanity, including murder and torture, during the 7 October attack by Hamas.

The ICC said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by restricting humanitarian aid and targeting civilians during Israel's military campaign in the Gaza strip.

All 27 member states of the European Union, including Hungary, are part of the ICC.

The court says that its members are required to detain suspects facing warrants if they step foot on their soil.

However, in practice, the court has no way of enforcing this.

The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday that the court's decision should be "respected and implemented" by member states.

However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded that not only would he defy the court, but that he would extend an invitation to Netanyahu to travel to Budapest.

Orbán called the warrants "outrageously impudent” and “cynical.”