Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrapped up his visit to Hungary on Sunday, where he met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The two leaders discussed cooperation in munitions production and other issues. Netanyahu’s visit occurred despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Israel’s conflict with Hamas. Hungary recently announced its withdrawal from the ICC, and Orban defended not executing the warrant, saying, “it is not customary to arrest guests” in Hungary.
In a joint press conference, Netanyahu and Orban criticized the ICC, with Netanyahu expressing hope that Hungary would not be the last state to exit the tribunal. Netanyahu then headed to the United States for discussions with President Donald Trump on tariffs, Iran, and the ICC. Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary marked his first trip to Europe since 2023, where he also met with Jewish community leaders, visited a Holocaust memorial, and received an honorary degree from a university.
During his visit, Hungarian police detained two Frenchmen for allegedly damaging Israeli flags, further highlighting tensions. Netanyahu and Orban also discussed Hungary’s decision to exit the ICC during a call with Trump.
