Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and discussed his country's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"I am an expert when it comes to this matter (the ICC)," Orbán stated. He noted that he was the Prime Minister who signed the documents to join the court in 2000 and "I just recently signed the document saying we withdraw from the ICC, because Hungary decided that we shall withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The reason is that we are convinced that this has become a political court. In the past years, this is not a court of the rule of law; it's a political court. It is not unbiased, and this was made clear by the decisions related to Israel.
Netanyahu thanked Orbán for the decision: "You've just taken a bold and principled position on the ICC. I thank you, Viktor. This is not just important for us; it's important for all democracies. It's important to stand up to this corrupt organization that has equated a democracy that is challenged for its very existence by the most horrific terroristic powers on earth, but the ICC directs its actions against us, fighting a just war with just means, and not against our tormentors. This is important for all of civilization as we fight against barbarism, and you are the first, I dare to say I don't think the last, but the first state that walks out of this corruption."
Netanyahu also thanked his counterpart for fighting antisemitism: "You've taken a very bold stance against antisemitism that has reared its head, as you've said in Europe. You don't allow it. You don't tolerate it. You recognize that antisemitism today is masked by the guise of anti-Zionism. You adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism which says that if you're against the Jewish state, you're antisemitic. You can't say, "Well, I'm not against Hungarians, I just don't think there should be a Hungary. I'm not against Jews, I just don't there should be a Jewish state." That’s what these antisemites are doing.
"Without a Jewish state, there's no Jewish people. So, your position on antisemitism, both in Hungary and outside Hungary, is one that others should adopt as well. You treat the Jewish community, as you said, in an exemplary fashion and you seek to provide it not only with its security but also the ability to conduct Jewish life here in the best possible way."
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, were welcomed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, his wife, and an honor guard at a ceremony in Budapest.
During the ceremony, Israel's national anthem, Hatikva, was played.
Following the ceremony, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok at the Presidential Palace. The two discussed increasing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of security, economy, and energy.