European Green Party calls for Netanyahu’s arrest in Hungary
The European Green Party is calling for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to be arrested and face trial at The Hague as he arrives in Hungary.
“The European Union and national governments have a duty to uphold international law and ensure accountability for war crimes and human rights abuses,” said European Greens co-chair Ciaran Cuffe in a statement.
“By ignoring the International Criminal Court’s [ICC] arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Viktor Orban is showing the same disregard for the rule of law on the international stage that he has consistently shown in Hungary,” Cuffe added, referring to the Hungarian leader’s assurances that Netanyahu will be protected from the arrest warrant.
European Green Party co-chair Vula Tsetsi added: “Orban is bulldozering over EU treaties and obligations … That is why we, as European Greens, have been consistently calling for the abolishment of national vetoes on matters related to foreign policy. Ignoring the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu means ignoring the reasons for which it was issued, which is unacceptable.”
Hungary eyes dropping out of ICC as Netanyahu visits
Hungary may withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) this week as Israel’s prime minister arrives on a four-day visit.
Last year, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and his then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes during the attack on Gaza. As Hungary is an ICC signatory, countries are expected to arrest those with warrants who enter their territory.
However, Hungarian President Viktor Orban announced last year that he rejected Netanyahu’s arrest warrant and invited him to visit Budapest.
ICC denounces Hungary for ignoring Netanyahu arrest warrant
The International Crime Court (ICC) has criticised Hungary’s decision to defy its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for war crimes in Gaza.
The court’s spokesperson, Fadi El Abdallah, said it’s not for parties to the ICC “to unilaterally determine the soundness of the Court’s legal decisions”.
Participating states have an obligation to enforce the court’s decisions, added El Ebdallah.
“Any dispute concerning the judicial functions of the Court shall be settled by the decision of the Court,” El Abdallah said.
Hungary’s President Viktor Orbán is seen as a pioneer of some of the same tactics Netanyahu has been accused of employing in Israel: subjugation of the judiciary, antagonism towards the European Union, and cracking down on civil society and human rights groups.
