Israel hails Hungary’s decision to exit International Criminal Court

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israel on Thursday welcomed Hungary’s decision to exit the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“I welcome Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on X.

The Hungarian decision coincided with a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the country despite an ICC arrest warrant against him for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

Sa’ar said he discussed the ICC issue with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto.

“The ICC has lost its moral authority after trampling the fundamental principles of international law with its eagerness to infringe on Israel’s right to defend itself,” he claimed.

More than 50,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 114,000 others injured in a brutal Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.