Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly accepted President Viktor Orbán's invitation to visit Hungary.
Orbán said Friday he had invited Netanyahu to visit Hungary after several other European nations said the Israeli premier would be detained if he set foot on their soil, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over Israel's war in Gaza.
Netanyahu quickly accepted Orbán's offer, Világgazdaság reported.
"I thank Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for the warm support for me and the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Against the shameful weakness of those who have lined up alongside the outrageous decision against the State of Israel's right to defend itself, Hungary — like our friends in the US — has shown moral clarity and steadfastness on the side of justice and the truth."
The ICC last week issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel's offensive in the Palestinian territory.
Assuring Netanyahu that he would face no risks if he visited Hungary, Orbán branded the arrest warrants a "brazen, cynical, and completely unacceptable decision." Orbán, who is often at odds with his European Union peers, has forged warm ties with Netanyahu.
"Today I will invite Israel's prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary, and in that invite, I will guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents," Orbán said.
Orbán was not only leader to criticize the ICC's move.
President Joe Biden said the ICC arrest warrants against Israeli leaders were outrageous.
"Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security," Biden said in a statement.
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be national security adviser, took to social media to condemn the ICC.
"The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the U.S. government," Waltz posted on X with The Associated Press story about the ICC's action. "Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January."
Reuters contributed to this report.