Belgium Is Latest To Declare It Won’t Arrest Netanyahu, In Reversal

Did Hungary’s Viktor Orban start a trend? He is hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a four-day trip to Budapest through Sunday. PM Orban used the occasion to declare that Hungary, an ICC founding member, will pull out of The Hague-based International Criminal Court.

The ICC slammed the move, and said that member states have an obligation to enforce its arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Interestingly, Belgium too has declared in all likelihood it would never arrest the Israeli head of state.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday said his country would ignore a warrant for the arrest of Netanyahu, in a reversal from the stated policies of the prior government. This could lead to more and more countries declaring the same, also amid ongoing US pressure to not confirm to ICC dictates.

“To be completely honest, I don’t think we would either,” De Wever told a journalist from the VRT broadcaster. He was specifically responding to Hungary’s announcement that it wouldn’t arrest the Israeli leader, who is accused by The Hague of overseeing war crimes in Gaza.

“There is such a thing as realpolitik, I don’t think any European country would arrest Netanyahu if he were on their territory. France wouldn’t do it, and I don’t think we would, either,” the Belgian prime minister added.

Likely this is accurate especially when it comes to France. European leaders have shown a willingness to criticize Israeli policies in Gaza, and the extremely high civilian death toll – but typically stop short of taking any drastic or serious action against the Israeli government.

Belgium’s prior deputy prime minister, Petra De Sutter, wrote on X in November: “Europe must comply. Impose economic sanctions, suspend the Association Agreement with Israel and uphold these arrest warrants.” Former Prime Minister Alexander De Croo had also said in November that his government would “assume its responsibility” in relation to the ICC case and that “there can be no double standards.”

Meanwhile, Netanyahu will travel from Hungary to the United States next, where he’s expected to meet with President Trump on Monday.

Axios explains that “If the visit takes place as planned, Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader to meet President Trump in person to try to negotiate a deal to remove Trump’s tariffs. The leaders are also expected to discuss the Iran nuclear crisis and the war in Gaza.” Trump set a 17% rate for Israel, stemming from what’s been described as a significant US bilateral trade deficit.

Netanyahu’s trip to Washington will mark his second US visit since the ICC issued the warrant last year, and he’s had to avoid Europe altogether until this week’s Hungary visit.