Israel's Netanyahu ends Hungary visit and heads to US amid ICC arrest warrant
Budapest, Hungary - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Budapest on Sunday to head to the US to talk tariffs and Iran with President Donald Trump after wrapping up a multi-day-visit to Hungary.
Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban hosted his long-standing Israeli ally in Hungary this week, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
Netanyahu's visit came as Hungary announced its withdrawal from the tribunal.
"I have just concluded a very important visit to Hungary," Netanyahu said in a statement adding that cooperation in the production of munitions, among other issues, was discussed.
Netanyahu is headed straight to the US, where he is set to discuss tariffs, Iran, and the ICC, among other issues, with President Donald Trump on Monday.
The Israeli leader arrived in the Hungarian capital early on Thursday.
Both Orban and Netanyahu slammed the ICC at a joint press conference, with the Israeli premier expressing hope that Hungary "would not be the last state" to exit the "corrupt organization."
The ICC last year issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes – including starvation as a method of warfare – in Israel's assault on Gaza.
Orban defended the government's decision not to execute the ICC warrant against Netanyahu in his weekly radio interview, saying that it is "not customary to arrest guests" in Hungary and there was no will to do so since Israel is regarded as a "friend."
Netanyahu makes first trip to Europe since 2023
The visit to Hungary marked Netanyahu's first trip to Europe since 2023.
During his four-day visit, Netanyahu met Jewish community leaders, visited a Holocaust memorial on the bank of the Danube river, and was awarded an honorary degree from a university.
Hungarian police said Saturday it had detained two Frenchmen on suspicion of hooliganism and vandalism after they allegedly tore down and damaged Israeli flags at the Szechenyi chain bridge.
Netanyahu and Orban also had a call with Trump about Hungary's decision to exit the ICC.
Israel had attempted to duck the US tariffs imposed on nearly every country by moving preemptively Tuesday – a day before Trump's big global tariff announcement – to drop all remaining duties on the 1% of American goods still affected by them.
But Trump moved ahead with the tariffs, saying the US had a significant trade deficit with Israel – its top beneficiary of military aid.
Cover photo: REUTERS