Overview

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Hungary for a five-day visit, his first European trip since the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him in November 2024 for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has openly refused to enforce the ICC warrant, citing a domestic legal loophole despite Hungary being a signatory to the Rome Statute.
• The visit highlights Hungary's broader opposition to international institutions and its alignment with other European nations, such as France and Poland, that are also reluctant to act on the ICC warrant.
• Discussions during the visit are expected to include U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial Gaza plan, which involves relocating Palestinians, a move criticized as violating international law.
• Netanyahu's trip is seen as a strategic effort to project normalcy and strengthen alliances while facing political and legal challenges both domestically and internationally.