The Media Line: Defying International Court, Hungary Welcomes Netanyahu Ahead of Easter 

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Defying International Court, Hungary Welcomes Netanyahu Ahead of Easter 

By The Media Line Staff 

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff announced on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make an official visit to Hungary in the coming weeks—despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant outstanding against the Israeli leader. 

Speaking at a press conference, Gergely Gulyas said the precise date of Netanyahu’s arrival would be made public once “extremely important security considerations” are settled. “According to current plans, [Netanyahu] will arrive before Easter,” he noted. In 2025, Easter Sunday falls on April 20. 

Last November, Orban extended an invitation to Netanyahu immediately after the ICC issued warrants against him and other Israeli officials for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Orban pledged at the time that his government would not enforce the warrant—even though Hungary, as a member of the European Union, is bound by the ICC’s legal framework. This has placed Hungary at odds with other EU member states that have vowed to detain Netanyahu if he were to set foot in their territories. 

The warrants, filed on November 21, 2024, named Netanyahu, his former defense chief, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri (better known as Mohammed Deif), who has since been killed in an Israeli airstrike. They stem from accusations related to the Gaza conflict, including an October 7, 2023 cross-border raid into southern Israel by Hamas, which Israel says killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has, according to local health officials, left more than 48,000 Palestinians dead.