Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoided most of Europe's skies on his way to New York, seemingly steering clear of countries where he could face arrest over alleged war crimes.
The Israeli leader's official jet, the "Wings of Zion," charted a path that skipped over European airspace while heading to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.
Flight tracking data showed the detour, which observers believe was aimed at avoiding any complications from the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants in November 2024 for both Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza - allegations Israel strongly denies.
Several ICC member states in Europe have publicly said they would detain him if he entered their territory, citing their obligations under the warrant.
The route appeared deliberately chosen to avoid overflying ICC signatories or governments that pledged to act on the court's orders - a scenario that could force the aircraft to land.
Instead, Netanyahu's jet traced a southern arc, passing only the fringes of Greece and Italy, crossing the Mediterranean, then heading out over the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar, without passing through other European states.
Ordinarily, Israeli flights bound for the United States take a faster, more direct course across central Europe, including French airspace.
Aviation experts noted the deviation added about 373 miles (600 km) to the trip.
Ireland has said it would carry out an arrest if Netanyahu arrived on its soil, while Spain vowed to cooperate with the investigation. France, by contrast, said it would not detain him, and Italy questioned whether such a move was even feasible.
France took a far firmer line with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also faces an ICC warrant. Like Israel and the United States, Russia is not an ICC member.
Although no official explanation was offered for the altered flight path, a French diplomatic source confirmed that Israel had asked for clearance to use French airspace, according to Times of Israel. Permission was granted, the official said, but the Israeli delegation chose not to use it.
"They decided to take another route, and we don't know the reason," the French official remarked.
Netanyahu is set to address the UN General Assembly on Friday before heading to Washington for a meeting with US President Donald Trump next week.
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/8zdGego
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