Hungary, unlike the United States, is a signatory to the court, which accused the Israeli leader of war crimes in Gaza. Responses to the warrant from other European countries were varied.

The ICC is meant to be a court of last resort that steps in when a country’s own courts fail to prosecute abuses. Israel’s attorney-general told Mr Netanyahu this year that forming a state commission of inquiry might stall the ICC ’s probe. But he has yet to appoint one, and the judges noted Israel’s failure to do so in their decision.