HUNGARY’S prime minister has been urged to “uphold international law” and arrest Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the country this week.
Netanyahu will travel to Hungary on Wednesday despite an outstanding arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, having received assurances from Prime Minister Viktor Orban that he will protect him.
The European Green Party has called for Netanyahu to be arrested and face trial at The Hague.
Netanyahu is due to meet with Orban and other senior Hungarian figures before returning to Israel on April 6.
Orban condemned the ICC decision as “shameful” and extended an invitation to Netanyahu to visit the country.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
European Greens co-chair Ciarán Cuffe said: "The European Union and national governments have a duty to uphold international law and ensure accountability for war crimes and human rights abuses.
“By ignoring the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Viktor Orban is showing the same disregard for the rule of law on the international stage that he has consistently shown in Hungary.
“It is long overdue for member states to move forward with Article 7 to restore fundamental rights, the rule of law and democracy in Hungary."
However, Hungary has never enacted the convection associated with the treaty on constitutional grounds, and claims it is therefore not bound by ICC decisions.
Israel ended its ceasefire with the Hamas militant group and renewed its air and ground war earlier this month.
At the beginning of March Israel cut off all supplies of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid to the territory’s roughly two million Palestinians to pressure Hamas to accept changes to the truce agreement.
Israel defence minister Israel Katz has announced an expanded operation in Gaza this week, vowing to seize “large areas” of territory.
It comes as local hospitals said at least 15 Palestinians were killed in the territory overnight.
European Green Party co-chair Vula Tsetsi added: "Orbán is bulldozering over EU treaties and obligations.
“His ties to Russia; his recent ban on Budapest Pride; his continued blocking, vetoing and blackmailing of EU support to Ukraine, are yet more evidence that he has more loyalty to Trump and Putin than the EU.
“The European Commission and Council can no longer afford to let one leader hold the bloc hostage.
“That is why we, as European Greens, have been consistently calling for the abolishment of national vetoes on matters related to foreign policy. Ignoring the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu means ignoring the reasons for which it was issued, which is unacceptable."
On March 6, Orban vetoed the conclusions of the European summit on Ukraine, forcing the remaining 26 leaders to adopt a separate statement.
He can also block European support for Ukraine because EU economic sanctions against Russia must be renewed unanimously in July, and his approval would be needed for Europe to seize Russia's frozen assets.
