Hungary PM-elect says Netanyahu must be arrested if he enters country under ICC warrant

Hungary’s Prime Minister-elect Peter Magyar said on Tuesday that his country must take Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into custody if he entered Hungarian territory under the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant sent out in 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity. "If a country is a member of the ICC and a person who is wanted by the ICC enters our territory, then that person must be taken into custody," Magyar told reporters, confirming his intention to align with international law, TRT World reports. It signalled a policy shift that could reshape both EU diplomacy and Budapest’s stance on Israel since Victor Orban, ex-prime minister of Hungary for the past 16 years, who Magyar won against with a landslide last week. Hungary had previously refused to act on the warrant during Netanyahu’s April 2025 visit under former Orban. Magyar also pledged to halt Hungary’s planned withdrawal from the ICC, expected to take effect by early June, aligning the country more closely with international law. Read: Hungary PM-elect Magyar vows 'new era' The leadership change is already having wider implications for the European Union. Orban had long blocked key EU decisions, including a €90 billion ($105b) financial package for Ukraine and sanctions on hardline Israeli settlers. With Magyar signalling a more cooperative approach, EU officials expect progress this week on both fronts, Al Jazeera reports. “The last element needed to allow for the disbursement of the 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine” would be on the agenda, said a spokesperson cited by the AFP news agency, in an apparent reference to the change of government in Hungary. Diplomats anticipate swift movement on the Ukraine loan, seen as vital for Kyiv’s war effort, as well as renewed discussions on measures targeting Israeli settlers and potentially aspects of EU-Israel cooperation. While tougher action on Israel would still require backing from major EU states, Hungary’s shift removes a major obstacle. Analysts describe Hungary under Magyar as a “less obstructive partner,” opening the door to long-stalled decisions and a more aligned EU foreign policy. Turkiye also prepared an indictment against 35 suspects, including Netanyahu, over an armed intervention against the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza last year. The indictment seeks aggravated life sentences as well as prison terms ranging from 1,102 years and 9 months to 4,596 years for each suspect on charges, including "crimes against humanity," "genocide," "deprivation of liberty," "torture," "damage to property," "qualified looting," and "obstructing, hijacking or detaining transportation vehicles."