ATHENS

Norway on Friday expressed "regret" over Hungary’s decision to exit the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Responding to Hungary's decision to quit the International Criminal Court, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said on X: “The International Criminal Court plays a key role in ensuring accountability for international crimes, and Norway will continue to support and defend the Court.”

On Thursday, Hungary announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, announced that the withdrawal process from the Hague-based court would begin on the same day.

Hungary announced the decision shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest on a four-day visit.

Netanyahu faces an arrest warrant issued by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, where more than 50,500 people have been killed, mostly women and children, in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023.

Netanyahu's visit to Hungary is his first to European soil since the ICC issued an arrest warrant for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November last year.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu and hand him over to the ICC.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.