Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu landed in Hungary early Thursday morning for a four-day visit after receiving an invitation from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban a day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him. Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky greeted Netanyahu and his wife at the airport with full military honors. Shortly after Netanyahu arrived and minutes before he met with the Hungarian Prime Minister, Orban’s office issued a statement announcing Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC. Orban had condemned the arrest warrant after it was issued, telling Hungarian media that the ICC decision was “fundamentally wrong” and an “outrageously brazen” political decision that would lead to “the discrediting of international law.” He also wrote Netanyahu a letter, saying he was shocked by the ICC’s shameful decision and extending an invitation to visit. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded to Hungary’s announcement by stating: “I commend Hungary’s important decision to withdraw from the ICC. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and I dealt with this matter extensively. The so-called ‘International Criminal Court’ lost its moral authority after trampling the fundamental principles of international law in its zest for harming Israel’s right to self-defense. Thank you, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and thank you, Hungary, for your clear and strong moral stance alongside Israel and the principles of justice and sovereignty.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)