LONDON

On the eve of a planned visit, Human Rights Watch on Friday has called on Hungarian authorities to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country.

The visit, set to start Saturday, comes weeks before Hungary’s April 12 general elections.

“Despite its move to leave the ICC (International Criminal Court), Hungary is still a member country and is still obligated to arrest and surrender individuals wanted by the court,” said Alice Autin, international justice researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“By flouting this obligation, for the second time in less than a year, Hungary would further entrench impunity for serious crimes in Palestine and once again betray victims who have been denied justice for far too long,” she added.

The call comes after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024 over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza since October 2023.

Both remain fugitives from the ICC.

Netanyahu previously visited Hungary in April 2025 without being arrested. Hungary has formally announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC treaty, effective this June 2, sparking criticism from international lawyers and civil society.

Human Rights Watch also decried ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, Gaza, and against Iran, stressing the “urgent need to respect the rule of law and support credible avenues for justice.”

The organization also called on EU and ICC member states to press Hungary to reverse its withdrawal and cooperate with the court.

“(Prime Minister Viktor) Orban’s government is about to roll out the red carpet again for Netanyahu, when it is obligated to arrest him,” Autin said. “Silence and persistent inaction from the EU risks sending a dangerous message of acquiescence as the Israeli government continues to be responsible for atrocities.”

Israel in October 2024 launched a two-year war on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 71,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and destroying about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.

Despite an October 2025 truce, Israel has continued its daily attacks, killing at least 677 Palestinians and injuring 1,813 others since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.