The future Prime Minister of Hungary, Peter Madyar, promised to stop the country's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, initiated by Viktor Orban. This means that Benjamin Netanyahu, who arrived in the country, will have to be detained.
The winner of the elections in Hungary, Peter Madyar, stated on Monday, April 20, that his future government is "firmly committed" to stopping the process initiated by his predecessor Viktor Orban to withdraw the country from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to ensure Hungary's membership in this organization.
When asked about the fate of the invitation he previously sent to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Madyar stated: "If a country is a member of the ICC and a person who is wanted enters its territory, they must be detained." He said he "clearly communicated" to Netanyahu Hungary's intention to remain a member of the court and "didn't hide anything."
The invitation to Netanyahu was previously confirmed by Israel's ambassador to Hungary, Maya Kadosh: according to her, the leaders had a "warm conversation," and the Israeli PM accepted the invitation. Madyar explained that he invited "all state leaders" he spoke with after the election victory to the seventieth anniversary of the 1956 revolution.
Arrest warrant for Netanyahu
In November 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. In response, Orban invited Netanyahu to Hungary, promising that he wouldn't be arrested—the Israeli PM took up the invitation in April 2025.
In the same month, Orban's office announced the start of the procedure for Hungary's exit from the ICC, and in June, Budapest submitted an official notification to the UN Secretary-General.
On April 12 of this year, the opposition party "Tisa" led by Peter Madyar won the parliamentary elections in Hungary, gaining a constitutional majority. Madyar will replace Viktor Orban as Prime Minister, a position he held for 16 years.