Hungary’s New PM Says He Would Arrest Israel’s Netanyahu For War Crimes
Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar said Monday that he would order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Israeli military’s operations in Gaza as it waged war against the Islamic terrorist group Hamas.
Member states are expected to detain individuals named in such warrants.
Hungary previously refused to arrest Netanyahu during a visit in April 2025 under then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is an ally of the Israel leader.
Péter Magyar says he would arrest Netanyahu if he comes to Hungary:
I made it clear that Hungary intends to remain a member of the International Criminal Court.
If someone enters the territory of a country that is a member of the ICC and that person is under an arrest warrant,… pic.twitter.com/ztt6mA6kvS
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 20, 2026
Ahead of that visit, Orbán moved to withdraw Hungary from the ICC and guaranteed Netanyahu immunity. The withdrawal process takes one year to complete.
Magyar said he intends to reverse that decision and keep Hungary in the ICC.
“It is the Tisza government’s firm intention to stop this and ensure that Hungary remains a member of the ICC,” he said.
“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.”
”Every state and head of government is aware of these laws,” he said.
However, he has also spoken of the need to have a “pragmatic relationship” with Israel and said the country remained an “important economic partner.”
After a landslide victory in Sunday’s election Hungarian opposition leader, Peter Magyar, said on Monday that Israel was an important economic partner with whom he aims to maintain “a pragmatic relationship”. pic.twitter.com/SPZb3kdbeP
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 14, 2026
Netanyahu was expected to visit Hungary later this year.
Other European countries have said they would not arrest Netanyahu.
The French government’s detention would conflict with other legal obligations, while Germany’s former Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he could not envision such an arrest.
Italy has also granted the Israeli leader immunity.
Magyar, who won last weekend’s general election in a landslide, has marketed himself as a globalist ally who will end Hungary’s relationship with Russia and improve relations with the European Union.
You can email Ben Kew here, and read more of Ben Kew's articles here.