UN rapporteur says Hungary must arrest Netanyahu to uphold ICC order

Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, on Wednesday denounced today's planned visit by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hungary, a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

"As a member of the ICC, Hungary must arrest Netanyahu when he is in Hungary,” the UN's top expert on judicial independence told Middle East Eye.

Netanyahu’s visit came after an invitation in November by his Hungarian counterpart and ally Viktor Orban, a right-wing nationalist, who declared that he would not implement the ICC’s arrest warrant. 

It marks Netanyahu’s first trip to an ICC member state since the court issued arrest warrants for him and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on 21 November 2024. 

“International justice only works if states live up to their commitments,” said Satterthwaite.

“Central among the commitments embedded in the Rome Statute is the promise to cooperate with the Court by carrying out arrest warrants,” she added.

Satterthwaite cited article 87 of the Rome Statute, saying that failing to arrest Netanyahu would effectively amount to preventing the court from exercising its functions.

“Impunity must end, and justice must be brought to bear, regardless of the position or power of the perpetrator."