Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee that an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu would "not be observed".
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee that an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu would "not be observed".
The ICC issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.
Orban, whose country holds the European Union's rotating six-month presidency, told state radio that the ICC's arrest warrant was "wrong" and said the Israeli leader would be able to conduct negotiations in Hungary "in adequate safety".
"Today I will invite Israel's prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and 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," Orban said.
Since Orban and his nationalist Fidesz party swept to power in 2010, he and Netanyahu have forged close political relations. Netanyahu visited Budapest in 2017.
Israeli leaders and the White House have strongly condemned the ICC decision, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the warrants were not political and that all EU member states should respect and implement the court decision.
Within the EU, Hungary and the Czech Republic have been strong backers of Israel, while countries such as Spain and Ireland stress their support for the Palestinians.
The Czech Foreign Ministry, responding to the ICC decision, said Prague would respect its international legal obligations.
However, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the ICC decision "unfortunate", saying on X late on Thursday: "(The move) undermines its authority in other cases when it equates the elected representatives of a democratic state with the leaders of an Islamist terrorist organization."
Israel has accused Hamas of violating a ceasefire agreement after discovering that one of the bodies handed over during Thursday’s exchange did not belong to any known hostage. The military is demanding the return of the missing remains.
Three bombs exploded on empty buses near Tel Aviv in a major attempted attack, while two other devices were disabled. Israeli authorities are investigating, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation against Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages, including infants, in a highly publicised handover. The move comes amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations and a deadly 16-month-long war.
As Israel maintains control over key positions in southern Lebanon, the government in Beirut is calling for international pressure to ensure the full implementation of the November 27 ceasefire and increased support for Lebanese security institutions.
Hamas handed over the bodies of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, along with their mother Shiri Bibas and hostage Oded Lifschitz, on Thursday under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Red Cross vehicles carried the four black coffins, each bearing a photo of the hostages.
Washington, D.C., February 21, 2025 – U.S. negotiators have reportedly raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service unless Kyiv reaches an agreement to grant the United States greater access to its critical minerals.
Washington, D.C., February 17, 2025 – Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, has reduced the staffing of a key team at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles, according to The Washington Post.
Brussels, February 21, 2025 – Alphabet’s mapping app Waze has crossed the threshold for classification as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), triggering tougher obligations to tackle illegal online content.
Santa Clara, CA, February 17, 2025 – Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang dismissed market concerns over DeepSeek’s recent release of its R1 open source reasoning model, arguing that the technological advancement will ultimately benefit the broader AI ecosystem rather than harm Nvidia’s business.
Google is expected to face charges from the European Commission for breaching rules designed to rein in the power of Big Tech, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
A tragic crowd crush at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night left 18 dead and 10 injured as thousands of people, many heading to the Kumbh Mela festival, attempted to board delayed trains. The incident highlights the ongoing risks of overcrowding at public transportation hubs in India.
A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday, injuring 18 people. Officials are investigating whether strong winds and snow played a role in the incident.
Berlin, February 21, 2025 – German citizens will head to the polls on Sunday, February 23, for a snap general election after the coalition government collapsed late last year.
‘We are already negotiating to work together in space, we can collaborate in this sphere also," Russian leader says
Hamas has handed over the bodies of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, deepening national mourning in Israel. Their fate had remained uncertain for months after their abduction during the October 7, 2023 attack.
The Asian Development Bank approved a $125 million loan to support Uzbekistan in modernizing water management, improving water security, and increasing access to safe and reliable water in the country.
Washington, D.C., February 21, 2025 – U.S. negotiators have reportedly raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service unless Kyiv reaches an agreement to grant the United States greater access to its critical minerals.
Washington, D.C., February 17, 2025 – Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, has reduced the staffing of a key team at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles, according to The Washington Post.
Brussels, February 21, 2025 – Alphabet’s mapping app Waze has crossed the threshold for classification as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), triggering tougher obligations to tackle illegal online content.
Santa Clara, CA, February 17, 2025 – Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang dismissed market concerns over DeepSeek’s recent release of its R1 open source reasoning model, arguing that the technological advancement will ultimately benefit the broader AI ecosystem rather than harm Nvidia’s business.
Google is expected to face charges from the European Commission for breaching rules designed to rein in the power of Big Tech, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
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