Palestinians slam Hungary’s withdrawal from ICC as Hamas issues strong condemnation
Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has triggered widespread condemnation from Palestinian authorities and human rights organisations. The announcement coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrival in Budapest for a four-day visit, marking his first trip to Europe since the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him for war crimes in Gaza.
Hungary’s exit from the ICC
Hungary revealed its intention to leave the ICC shortly after Netanyahu’s arrival. Gergely Gulyás, Chief of Staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, stated that the withdrawal process would adhere to constitutional and international legal frameworks.
The move positions Hungary as the third country to exit the Rome Statute, following Burundi and the Philippines. Hungary’s government has criticised the ICC as a politicised institution, citing its indictment of Netanyahu as evidence of bias. Orbán’s administration also argued that Hungary’s domestic laws do not enforce ICC rulings, effectively shielding Netanyahu during his visit.
Palestinian condemnation
Palestinian groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, denounced Hungary’s decision as a betrayal of international justice. Hamas described it as “blatant complicity” with Netanyahu, whom they labeled a “war criminal on the run from justice,” as reported by the Anadolu Agency. The group urged Hungary to reverse its decision and hand over Netanyahu to the ICC for accountability over alleged massacres in Gaza. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry echoed similar sentiments, accusing Hungary of undermining global peace and stability by hosting Netanyahu.
Netanyahu faces accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from Israel’s military operations in Gaza since October 2023. These operations have resulted in over 50,500 fatalities, predominantly among women and children.
Human rights groups react
Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also condemned Hungary’s actions. Amnesty International labelled the withdrawal a “betrayal of all victims of war crimes” and accused Orbán’s government of harbouring a fugitive wanted by international justice. The group further criticised Hungary for providing implicit approval of what it referred to as Israel’s genocide against Palestinians.
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“Palestinians authorities” are the terrorists of Hamas, who invaded Israel and committed atrocities on October 7th 2023. We needn’t concern ourselves with them. And Amnesty, once a respected Human Rights group, now finds itself on the wrong side more often than not.
Try to educate yourself a bit. Very not nice showing your ignorance and illiteracy.
The Palestinian authorities are not Hamas, they are in the west bank not in Gaza!
Hungary should withdraw from all clubs that support terrorists like hamas, houthi, and hezbollah.
Stop saying it is biased, putting Hungary on the wrong side of history again and again.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant based on documented evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including starvation of civilians and intentional attacks.
Hamas leaders were also targeted for atrocities, showing the ICC’s impartiality in addressing both sides of the conflict.
The ICC’s jurisdiction over Palestine was legally confirmed after rigorous review, allowing prosecution despite Israel’s objections.
The Court demonstrated procedural caution, spending months reviewing evidence and dismissing weaker charges.
Accusations of bias are unfounded, as the ICC has prosecuted leaders globally and acted only after substantial evidence.