HUNGARY’S NEW PRIME minister-elect, Peter Magyar, has had a “warm” conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and invited him to visit in spite of an international warrant for his arrest for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Netanyahu’s office said the two leaders spoke over the phone today in an introductory call, during which Magyar “stated his intention to maintain a close relationship” between the two countries.

Magyar won a stunning electoral victory over Viktor Orbán last weekend in Hungary’s general election, bringing the longtime Netanyahu ally’s 16 years in power to an end.

Magyar has signalled his intention to bring Hungary back in line with European Union policy, particularly in terms of support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion.

But today’s announcement by Netanyahu’s office signals that Magyar plans to continue where Orbán left off in terms of relations with Israel.

Orbán hosted Netanyahu during a state visit in April last year, despite the Israeli premier being wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the genocide in Gaza, Palestine.

As a member of the ICC, Hungary was obliged to arrest Netanyahu, but Orbán announced at the time he would be withdrawing his country’s membership of the court.

Orbán and Netanyahu during the Israeli PM's visit to Hungary last year Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The warrant has curtailed Netanyahu’s ability to travel to other countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

He has made visits to the United States, which is not a signatory, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz invited him in the build-up to the last German elections, despite Germany being an ICC member. 

Netanyahu’s office said today that Magyar invited the prime minister to take part in a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising, an attempted revolt against the Soviet-controlled Hungarian government in 1956.

Netanyahu has in turn invited Magyar to visit Jerusalem, his office said.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his confidence that the warm relations shared with outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would continue during the term of Prime Minister-elect Magyar,” the statement said, adding that the foreign ministers of both countries would meet soon.

Magyar, whose opposition won a resounding victory that made headlines around the world this week, said today that Hungary’s parliament would reconvene and formally elect him as premier early next month.