BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Hungary said Thursday it will begin the procedure of withdrawing from the world鈥檚 only permanent global tribunal for war crimes and genocide.
鈥淗ungary will withdraw from the International Criminal Court,鈥� Gergely Guly谩s, who is Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n chief of staff wrote in a brief statement. 鈥淭he government will initiate the withdrawal procedure on Thursday, in accordance with the constitutional and international legal framework.鈥�
The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, despite an over his conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip.
Hungary鈥檚 government, led by right-wing populist Orb谩n, extended the invitation to Netanyahu in November after the ICC, based in the Hague, Netherlands, issued the warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity.
Orb谩n, a close Netanyahu ally, has called the arrest warrant 鈥渙utrageously impudent鈥� and 鈥渃ynical.鈥� Member countries of the ICC, such as Hungary, are required to detain suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that and relies on states to comply with its rulings.
The Associated Press
