By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – As the Israeli prime minister visited the nation, Hungary announced Thursday that it would withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called it a “political court” after it issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on war crimes charges. Orbán said he asked the foreign me minister to immediately present Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC to Parliament, despite protests from several European leaders and human rights activists.

He welcomed the Israeli leader with full military honors in Budapest’s Castle District. The two close allies stood side by side as a military band played and an elaborate procession of soldiers on horseback, carrying swords and bayoneted rifles, marched by.

“Great to meet with my friend, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán,” Netanyahu said. “The friendship between Hungary and Israel is stronger than ever,” he added.

“Hungary stood with Israel in Hamas’s murderous attack,” Netanyahu said, referring to the October 7, 2023, attack against the Jewish nation. “And today, Hungary stands with Israel in the attack of the International Court of Justice’s hypocrisy at The Hague,” he added.

The International Court of Justice is a separate court currently hearing arguments surrounding accusations of “genocide” leveled at Israel, charges vehemently denied by Netanyahu and his government.

Netanyahu also told reporters that Hungary supported and stood up for Israel “proudly and unstintingly” in the European Union and the United Nations while taking a “bold and principled step” regarding the ICC.

IMPORTANT FOR DEMOCRACY

“Thank you very much, Viktor, this is important not only to us but to all democracies,” the Israeli prime minister said at a news conference with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán.

Speaking on the ICC that seeks his detention, Netanyahu added it was necessary to stand up to “this corrupt organization,” which “threatened democracy.”

He added that the ICC directed its actions against Israel rather than its “tormentors.”

Netanyahu noted that Hungary is the first ICC member state to leave the court and “walks out of this corruption and this rottenness.” He added, “I think it will be deeply appreciated not only in Israel but in many, many countries around the world.”

Netanyahu also spoke about Hungary’s “very bold stance” against antisemitism, which had reared its head in Europe. “You do not allow it, you do not tolerate it, and you recognize that antisemitism today is masked by the guys of anti-Zionism,” he stressed.

Netanyahu noted that at least some argue wrongly that being against the Jewish state did not make one antisemitic. “You can’t say, well, I’m not against Hungarians; I just don’t think there should be a Hungary. Without a Jewish state, there is no Jewish people.”

He praised Hungary for treating the Jewish community of roughly 120,000 people in an “exemplary manner” by providing them security and the opportunity “to live a Jewish life in the best possible way.”

ISRAELI FOOTBALL TEAM

“Hungary also takes care today of Israel’s football [soccer] teams … and other sports, as well,” he said.

“This is all a sign of a deep friendship, a deep alliance that has evolved,” Netanyahu added.

Several international marches involving Israel were played in Hungary after other nations refused to host the Israeli team, citing security concerns.

Netanyahu said Israel and Hungary were “fighting a similar battle” for the future of their common Judeo-Christian, Western civilization.

He shared Orbán’s view that “this civilization was currently under assault by radical Islam” spearheaded by Iran as a “pulsating engine.” “We will smash the Iranian terror axis, which threatens not only us but Europe, [too],” Netanyahu said, adding that the Hungarian leader understood this was “a common battle for our values, our interests and our common security.”

“We were attacked by Iran’s proxies in a murderous campaign by Hamas terrorists who raped our women, beheaded our men, burnt our babies, and took hostages,” the prime minister said. “We are committed to bringing back home all of them, including a hostage with Hungarian citizenship.”

Netanyahu also said that many Israeli tourists liked visiting Hungary, and many Israeli businesspeople invested in the Central and Eastern European nations, adding that cooperation was firm in technology and defense and that there were many areas for future collaboration.

MORE MILITARY COOPERATION

Orbán said in separate remarks that he wants to intensify military cooperation with Israel further.

He noticed 150 Israeli companies in Hungary, employing thousands of people in this nation of just over 9 million, adding that these were “valuable investments” in the high-tech and pharmaceutical sectors.

The news conference was held as a small protest, with people shouting anti-Israel slogans and calling Netanyahu a “child murderer,” with at least one Palestinian flag visible.

Yet, the Prime Minister, who previously banned pro-Gaza protests citing anti-terrorism legislation, noticed that “no Hamas flags are shown in Hungary.

Worthy News established that the dozens of protesters seen in Budapest Thursday were outnumbered by police forces on a day that Hungary’s Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK) was involved in providing additional security for Netanyahu.

Amid heavy security measures, Netanyahu made clear he shares Orbán’s view that “this civilization was currently under assault by radical Islam” spearheaded by Iran as a “pulsating engine.”

“We will smash the Iranian terror axis, which threatens not only us but Europe, [too],” Netanyahu said, adding that the Hungarian leader understood this was “a common battle for our values, our interests and our common security.”

IRAN’S PROXIES ATTACKED

“We were attacked by Iran’s proxies in a murderous campaign by Hamas terrorists who raped our women, beheaded our men, burnt our babies, and took hostages,” the prime minister said.

“We are committed to bringing back home all of them, including a hostage with Hungarian citizenship.”

Netanyahu also said that many Israeli tourists liked visiting Hungary, and many Israeli businesspeople invested in the Central and Eastern European nations, adding that cooperation was strong in technology and defense and that there were many areas for future collaboration.

Orbán said in separate remarks that he wants to intensify military cooperation with Israel further.

Netanyahu also discussed these issues with President Tamás Sulyok, who has a more symbolic role in Hungary but is the commander in chief of the Hungarian army.

Netanyahu said the developments underscore a revival of relations between Israel and Hungary, which for decades had been occupied by Russian forces following World War Two when some 600,000 Hungarian Jews were killed.

In total, “A third of our people were murdered in the second world war in the Holocaust,” Netanyahu said, referring to the estimated 6 million Jews who were murdered by Nazi Germany and its allies. Like Hungary, “We had to overcome great odds to reestablish our sovereignty in our ancient homeland. And it was a question of time when these two histories would meet and begin the great alliance that has now developed,” Netanyahu noticed.

Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

Latest Stories from Worthy News