TEL AVIV- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) aboard the Wing of Zion, Israel’s Boeing 767 state aircraft, for New York JFK International Airport (JFK).
The journey supports his UN General Assembly address and meetings with US President Donald Trump. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 reveals a deliberate detour that extended the route by 600 kilometers.
This rerouting highlights geopolitical tensions tied to an active International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Issued in November 2024, the warrant alleges war crimes in Gaza, prompting the avoidance of certain European airspaces. According to PYOK, such maneuvers underscore the warrant’s impact on high-level diplomacy.
Photo: By Chatham House – Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister, State of Israel, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68669579Israel PM Detour for US
Netanyahu’s aircraft lifted off from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) at 5:13 AM local time on September 25, 2025. The Wing of Zion, a 25 year old Boeing 767-300ER registered as 4X-ISR, climbed to 36,000 feet and headed northwest.
Initial tracking suggested a direct path over continental Europe, leveraging Earth’s curvature for efficiency. However, as the plane neared the Spanish Balearic Islands, it deviated southward.
The revised trajectory skirted Spanish and Portuguese airspace entirely. Pilots guided the aircraft along the Mediterranean’s length, then crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, a narrow 9-mile waterway between Spain and Morocco, before turning north over the Atlantic.
This path rejoined the original corridor, landing at New York Airport (JFK) at 11:10 AM EDT. The detour, visible on FlightRadar24, added roughly 372 miles and required extra fuel, leading officials to reduce the delegation size for weight management.
This navigation choice reflects a calculated risk assessment. Israel denies the ICC allegations and rejects the court’s jurisdiction, but practical concerns about emergency landings drive such decisions.
Past trips, including a February 2025 flight to the US, followed similar extensions. In contrast, a July 2025 journey overflew France, Italy, and Greece without issue.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued the warrant against Netanyahu on November 21, 2024. Prosecutors accused him of war crimes, including starvation as a warfare method, and crimes against humanity such as murder, persecution, and inhumane acts.
These stem from Israel’s military operations in Gaza from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024. A parallel warrant targets former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant; both remain active as of September 2025, despite Israel’s challenges to ICC authority.
Under the Rome Statute, ratified by 125 states, members must arrest warrant subjects upon entry. Enforcement varies by politics and immunity claims.
Netanyahu’s team cites head of state protections, though ICC rules limit these for such crimes.
Photo: By Rami Mizrahi, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83836082European Airspace: Allies and Risks
Spain emerges as a key avoidance target. The government pledged full ICC cooperation, including a dedicated team to probe Gaza human rights issues.
Portugal signaled intent to meet “international obligations,” implying warrant enforcement. Other nations like the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Ireland affirm similar stances.
Italy and Greece permitted overflight this time, aligning with prior allowances. Italy cites political immunity; Greece maintains neutral facilitation. France voiced concerns but authorized past passages, drawing EU criticism.
Hungary outright refuses enforcement, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hosted Netanyahu in April 2025 and withdrew from ICC processes. Poland granted safe passage for a January 2025 Auschwitz commemoration.
The US, a non-ICC member, offers safe haven. President Trump’s administration imposed sanctions on ICC staff in February 2025, rejecting the warrants as biased.
Photo: By LLHZ2805 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86481943Broader Diplomatic Ripples
This flight underscores evolving global dynamics. Recent recognitions of Palestinian statehood by Spain, Ireland, Portugal, and others heighten tensions.
Netanyahu’s UN speech on September 26, 2025, will likely denounce these moves, as his office stated: “The shameful capitulation of some leaders to Palestinian terror does not obligate Israel.”
Travel restrictions narrow Netanyahu’s options; canceled Vatican plans earlier in 2025 exemplify this. Yet, he proceeds undeterred, emphasizing Israel’s security needs. The episode spotlights the ICC’s reach, balancing legal accountability against state sovereignty.
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