Benjamin Netanyahu has once again taken a circuitous flight path to New York, deliberately avoiding much of European airspace as he travels to address the United Nations General Assembly.
The Israeli prime minister, who is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes including the use of starvation as a weapon of war, flew on the “Wing of Zion”, Israel’s version of Air Force One. Flight-tracking data showed the jet crossing Greece and Italy before veering south along the Mediterranean, rounding the Strait of Gibraltar and then crossing the Atlantic — a route significantly longer and more fuel-intensive than direct options across France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and the UK.
All of those countries are signatories to the ICC statute and would be legally obliged to arrest Netanyahu were he to enter their territory. While the practicalities of enforcing such a warrant against a sitting head of government are disputed, the risk of an unscheduled or emergency landing makes European airspace a political hazard.
AFP reported that France had authorised Israeli use of its skies, though the flight ultimately did not cross French territory. The decision comes amid deteriorating Franco-Israeli relations, with Paris leading a diplomatic push to recognise Palestine as a state this week. Netanyahu has long opposed such moves, making opposition to Palestinian statehood central to his career.
Israeli media said members of Netanyahu’s entourage were dropped from the trip to compensate for extra fuel. This is not the first time the prime minister has detoured around Europe: earlier flights to the US also avoided airspace where a forced landing could trigger arrest. Concerns about his health have heightened the risk; he underwent prostate surgery late last year and now travels with doctors on board.
Netanyahu is expected to address the UN on Friday before meeting US president Donald Trump in the coming days. Both men reject the ICC’s authority.
