The International Criminal Court (ICC) sent a confidential report to Hungary, asking for an arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before Hungary announced the withdrawal from ICC. The article of the Times of Israel pointed out the Portfolio.hu server on Monday, informs TASR newsletter in Budapest.
According to the daily, ICC sends these letters intimately to the country in order to minimize the possibility that the person they want to arrest will escape. The ICC report also included the name, place and time of birth of Netanyahua as well as ICC charges.
“The court is asking Hungary to cooperate in the arrest of that person if there is an opportunity and is located in the country,” the ICC report quoted.
The Hungarian government decided to terminate ICC membership. Last Thursday (April 3), this was confirmed by the head of the Office of the Government Gergely Gulyás. On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Hungary, on which ICC issued a warrant.
Hungary Netanyahua invited to visit
Last November, ICC published arrest warrants on Netanyahu and other representatives of Israel and the militant Hamas movement for suspicion of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán invited Netanyahu to visit Hungary on the day of the ICC arrest warrant, although Hungary was at that time a Member State of ICC.
According to Gulyás, ICC has caused “serious concerns at international level” in recent times. The head of the Government Office recalled that the United States, China and Turkey have never joined this body, while “the US wants to sanction ICC judges”. The fact that Netanyahua will not arrive clearly showed the emerging German Chancellor and Polish Prime Minister, says Gulyás.
In addition to Hungary, the arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister has also questioned other ICC Member States. According to France, Netanyahu could have immunity against ICC measures, as Israel is not a signatory of the Roman Statute. Italy said Netanyahua cannot be arrested while he was the Prime Minister of the Israeli government.
