During his diplomatic visit to Hungary today (Thursday), Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met with Hungarian President Tamás Szili at the presidential palace in Budapest.
“We Are One of the World’s Oldest Nations, The Hague Won’t Trample Our Rights”
The Foreign Minister called for measures against the International Criminal Court (ICC), declaring: “Those who try to destroy our right to self-defense, like the actions of the ICC, must be opposed.”
He elaborated on the historical justification: “For 76 years, our enemies have attempted to annihilate us militarily but failed. Now, they are trying to harm our ability to defend ourselves in other ways. The Jewish people were defenseless for 2,000 years, which led to the Holocaust on European soil in the last century and countless attacks throughout history, where many of our people were murdered. Without this vulnerability, we would be a much larger nation today because we are one of the oldest in the world. We will not allow anyone to take away our right and duty to defend ourselves.”
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Radical Islam Is Also a Danger to Europe
Addressing the shared threat, Sa’ar warned of the growing strength of radical Islam: “The rise of radical Islam is not only dangerous to Israel but also to Europe. Extremist Islamists are already carrying out attacks on European soil. We stand on the frontline of this battle because we are geographically closer. However, Israel and European countries are fighting the same war. Hungary knows how to distinguish between good and evil, unlike other countries in Europe and the world that have lost this ability.”
Israel’s Determination to Achieve All War Objectives
At the start of his visit, Sa’ar urged Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to join efforts to secure the return of hostages, combat the Houthis, and oppose the arrest warrants issued by the ICC against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
Sa’ar also updated Szijjártó on developments in the Middle East, including efforts to release hostages such as Omer Miron, who holds Hungarian citizenship. He emphasized Israel’s commitment to achieving all of the cabinet’s war’s objectives, which include freeing the hostages, dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, and eliminating all threats from Gaza.
A Call for Hungary to Support Trump’s Actions
Regarding the Houthis, Sa’ar stressed the organization’s threat to maritime freedom in the Red Sea, which harms international trade and the global order. He called on Hungary to support President Trump’s recent decision to reinstate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, thereby imposing international sanctions. Sa’ar then expressed deep gratitude to Hungary for its steadfast support of Israel.
Sa’ar Vs. The Hague: An Anti-Semitic Attempt to Undermine Israel’s Defense
Sa’ar and the Hungarian president issued a joint statement following their meeting, during which Sa’ar praised Hungary’s support for Israel on the international stage: “Under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s leadership, Hungary is a close friend and important ally to Israel. This is a partnership between two proud, sovereign, free, and independent nations. I deeply appreciate Hungary’s significant support in the international arena, particularly in the EU and the UN.”
Sa’ar sharply criticized the ICC, describing its actions as a contradiction justice and morality principles: “There is an anti-Semitic attempt to prevent the Jewish state from defending its citizens through a legal war waged in international ‘judicial institutions’. The ICC is political and corrupt, and causes significant damage to international law. It’s unprecedented for the ICC to target a democratic nation fighting terrorism, operating in accordance with international law and the rule of law.”
Watch Sa’ar’s Speak in Hungary:
Sa’ar added: “The ICC has severely damaged its credibility. The court in The Hague chose to attack Israel’s right to self-defense, even though it is the most threatened and attacked nation in the world. This is not only legally distorted but also morally corrupt.”
Sa’ar concluded by thanking Hungary for standing by Israel: “We are grateful for your stance against the ICC arrest warrants and for inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to Hungary.”
He also referenced U.S. legislation against the ICC, saying: “The U.S. Congress passed significant legislation, and I commend President Trump for his executive order against the ICC. This sends a clear and unequivocal message: we will not allow harm to a democratic nation fighting for the lives of its citizens and its right to self-defense.”