Netanyahu calls Hungary, and finds a rare welcome in Europe

On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from Israel began a visit to Hungary, confirming that the European stronghold announced that “non -liberal democracy” will ignore An arrest warrant issued against him In November by the International Criminal Court.

The visit is Mr. Netanyahu, the first country that recognized the court’s judicial state, which raises the possibility, at least in theory, that it can be arrested. he Washington visited to discuss the future of Gaza With President Trump in February, but the United States, like Israel, never recognized the International Court.

In Hungary, the government of Prime Minister Victor Urban made it clear that it would ignore its obligations as a party in 1998 Treaty established the court.

Mr. Urban, Mr. Netanyahu, called for his visit shortly after the court issuing its arrest, assuring him that “the International Criminal Court ruling will not have any impact on Hungary and we will not follow its conditions.”

The extensive advertising machine in Hungary has adopted anti -Semitic tropics in Delly discharge to George SorosAnd an American financier generated by the Hungarians and Jewish locals. It was thrown as evil brides in a vast global plot backed by higher financing and hidden global forces.

But Mr. Urban, a strong supporter of Israel, has adopted the right -wing prime minister in the country as a good spirit with his ethnic views and reverence for national sovereignty free from foreign intervention.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest orders to Mr. Netanyahu and former Defense Secretary, Yov Galet, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, and deal with a global strike for Israel.

For Mr. Netanyahu, Hungary’s visit provides an opportunity for him to show power abroad and the state at home at a time of increasing opposition to his leadership inside and outside Israel.

By traveling to Europe, Mr. Netanyahu refers to the world that it is still not widely affected by the court’s arrest memo, although Israel’s behavior of the war in Gaza has been denounced by many European governments. It also refers to critics in Israel, where he is immersed A growing list of local crisesHe keeps his international status and this work continues as usual despite the arrest of two of his aides this week.

Amnesty International Aden visit Hungary As a “satirical effort to undermine and act the International Criminal Court”, he described it as “an insult to the victims of these crimes who are looking for the court for justice.” He added that the invitation of Hungary, “shows contempt for international law.”

For Mr. Urban, isolated within the European Union, welcoming the Israeli Prime Minister in a challenge to the International Court provides an opportunity to put himself in the spotlight and attract Washington’s attention. President Trump has not shown clear interest in Hungary since he took office in January, although he was long admired by Mr. Urban.

Like Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Urban faces a set of home problems, including Hungary The highest rate of inflation in the European Union The opposition movement in the country – led by one of the former Urban loyalists – has an increase in support.

Before the November elections, Mr. Trump often praised Mr. Urban as a “great leader” but he did not invite him to open. This Hungary said because of No foreign leaders were invitedBut many of them attended, including the Prime Minister in Italy, Georgia Meloni, a competitor to Mr. Urban to lead political forces in the arduous Europe.

Mr. Trump, a fierce critic of the court, in February The executive order that places penalties on the International Court occurredWith the pledge to impose “severe and important consequences” on people working in investigations that are considered to threaten the national security of the United States and Israel.

Mr. Netanyahu touched on bribery, fraud and other charges against him in Israel as an effort by the judiciary to obstruct the will of the voters. Likewise, Mr. Urban has repeatedly condemned what he considered a judicial transgression by European courts that ruled against Hungary for violations of the rules of the European Union.

“We have always been burdened against judicial activity,” said Mr. Urban at the summit of European leaders in Budapest.

In 2001, Hungary was true of the treaty that establishes the International Criminal Court during the first period of the first action of Urban as Prime Minister, but Parliament did not integrate its conditions into the country’s local law.

The Chief of Staff of Mr. Urban, Geragli Julias, said last month that this omission launched Hungary from any commitment to dispose of the rulings by the court. He pointed out that Hungary was considering withdrawing from the court, but he said that no decision was taken yet.

Patrick Kingsley She contributed to the reports from Jerusalem.