BUDAPEST, November 22. /TASS/. Hungary does not endorse the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is prepared to welcome him for a state visit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated in a morning program on the Kossuth radio station.

"This decision is wrong," Orban responded to a question about the ICC warrants against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who are accused of crimes against humanity. Orban believes these politicized actions discredit the international institution and only serve to escalate tensions in the Middle East.

The Hungarian PM made it clear that Hungary had no intention of respecting the recent decision of the ICC. "I am even willing to invite Netanyahu to Budapest for talks and guarantee him the necessary security," Orban said.

Earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denounced the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant as shameful and absurd. He added that Hungary "refuses to allow any institution of the international judicial system to be used as a political tool."

On November 21, the ICC announced that it had issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024 on Palestinian territory, including in the Gaza Strip. They are accused of crimes such as murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, including the deliberate starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.

For his part, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell stated that the EU considers the arrest warrants issued by the ICC for Netanyahu and Gallant as binding.