Netanyahu Will Be Arrested, Says Hungary’s Prime Minister, Cites ICC Warrant

Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Peter Magyar, has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested if he enters Hungary, following the decision to halt Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Magyar confirmed that his administration would reverse a planned exit from the ICC, a move previously initiated under outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and scheduled to take effect on 2 June, SkyNews reports.

Speaking at a news briefing in Budapest, Magyar said he had “made this clear” to Netanyahu, who has been wanted over alleged war crimes in Gaza since 2024.

He said Hungary would continue to comply with its obligations under the ICC, adding, “I believe that if the country is a member of the International Criminal Court, and a person who is wanted by the court enters our territory, then that person must be taken into custody,” in reference to Netanyahu.

The previous government had announced plans to withdraw from the ICC last year, citing disagreement with the warrant issued against the Israeli leader.

The withdrawal would have made Hungary the only European Union member state outside the court’s jurisdiction, but Magyar said his government had reviewed the decision and would stop the process, stating that they “have looked into it, and we will stop [it]”.

The ICC warrant for Netanyahu has continued to generate international political reactions, including criticism from former US president Joe Biden, while Donald Trump has maintained support for the Israeli prime minister.

The United States is not a member of the ICC, and Netanyahu has made several visits to Washington and to Trump’s Florida estate amid ongoing tensions linked to the Gaza conflict.