ISRAEL AT WAR – DAY 549
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel’s diplomatic reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday wrapped up his visit to Hungary, heaping praise on the European ally for supporting Israel at international organizations.
“It defends us in the European Union,” Netanyahu said before boarding Wing of Zion to fly to Washington, as a military honor guard saw him off. “It defends us in the UN, and no less than that, in the corrupt International Criminal Court in The Hague, which is directed against all of us — against IDF soldiers, IDF commanders, and the State of Israel.”
He said Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC last week is “a sign of things to come.”
Netanyahu highlighted the discussions with Hungary about the joint production of armaments and the hostages in Gaza, among whom is a Hungarian citizen, Omri Miran.
In Washington, Netanyahu said, he would discuss with US President Donald Trump “the hostages, the completion of the victory in Gaza, and of course the tariff regime that was also imposed on Israel.”
“I hope that I can help in this matter,” Netanyahu said. “That is the intention.”
He did not mention potential discussions on thwarting Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions.
On Saturday night, his office had said he and Trump would discuss “efforts to reach a hostage deal, Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat, and confronting the International Criminal Court.”
Noting that he is the first world leader to meet with Trump in person about the tariffs, he said, “This reflects the special personal connection and the special connection between the United States and Israel, which is so vital at this time.”
Last week Trump unveiled a sweeping new tariff policy, which included a 17 percent tariff on Israeli goods, alarming manufacturers.
Netanyahu offered his support to the families of hostages who were seen in propaganda videos recently released by the Hamas terror group.
“We are also working during these moments to bring about their release, and we will not let up,” he said, as Israel continued to expand its ground operation in Gaza.
Earlier, Netanyahu met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó in Budapest, along with a forum of senior local business leaders, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Netanyahu discussed strengthening economic, security, and technological ties with the EU member state, as well as increasing Hungarian investment in the Israeli economy, it said.
The conversation concluded the premier’s trip to Budapest, which began last Wednesday and included meetings with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, senior government officials, and local Jewish leaders.
Orban invited the Israeli leader to visit Hungary earlier this year and announced minutes before meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday that Budapest was withdrawing from the ICC, which in November issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes during the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu is to meet with Trump on Monday regarding the new American tariffs on Israeli imports, as well as “efforts to reach a hostage deal, Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat, and confronting the International Criminal Court,” the premier’s office said Saturday.
Meanwhile, Hungarian police announced the arrest of two people on Saturday for tearing down 17 Israeli flags lining Budapest’s Széchenyi Chain Bridge in honor of Netanyahu’s visit and throwing them into the Danube River.
The alleged perpetrators, two French nationals, were arrested by police on the bridge a few minutes after the incident. After questioning by investigators at Budapest’s Fifth District police station, they were charged with misdemeanor, disorderly conduct, vandalism, and theft.
Police said they had also arrested two Spanish nationals for misdemeanor vandalism after they broke a Hungarian flag on the bridge later that day.
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Praising Hungary’s support in global forums, Netanyahu heads to DC for talks with Trump – The Times of Israel
