Netanyahus New York-bound flight avoids countries | Political News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to seem before the United Nations on Thursday during the eightieth General Assembly. But as he made his means to New York, the notorious chief had to take a difficult flight route to keep away from a number of European countries vying for his arrest.

According to publicly accessible flight data, Netanyahu, who has an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him, took the southernmost route potential to make his means to the US, avoiding French and other European airspace fully.

Instead, his airplane, which is called the “Wing of Zion” and is the equal of the U.S.’ Air Force One, flew over the Mediterranean Sea, passing over Greece and Italy before exiting to the Atlantic Ocean.

Netanyahu, who has overseen the invasion of Gaza and other conflicts in Israel, is being accused by the ICC of a plethora of crimes, including “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.” Hence, if he travels to any of the 124 countries that signed the Rome statute that established the court, he might face arrest.

The Israeli authorities has not supplied a reasoning for the curious flight route. However, the long journey has raised eyebrows, as more fuel-efficient routes could have flown across France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and the U.Okay., all of which have signed the statute.

Experts also argue that in the case of an emergency touchdown, had the Wing of Zion flown over those countries, his arrest might have come simpler.

This isn’t the first time Netanyahu and his entourage have taken an inconvenient flight route to keep away from battle. A few months in the past, the Times of Israel cited the Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, saying that Netanyahu’s flight to Washington in February had taken steps to keep away from making an emergency touchdown in Europe.

According to The Guardian, fears of emergency touchdown, significantly medical-related ones, wouldn’t be so far fetched as the Prime Minister had his prostate eliminated in late 2024.

DON’T MISS…

‘Riot fencing’ noticed close to the White House forward of Benjamin Netanyahu go to

Four Americans, including three kids, killed in Israeli strike in Lebanon

Trump unleashes scathing rebuke of Netanyahu as tensions simmer over Gaza battle

“He had just had surgery, he came with two doctors, and they told him he may have to land for treatment,” Leiter told the news retailers about Netanyahu’s February journey to the States. “But if he were to land anywhere in Europe, he could be arrested as a war criminal.”

Netanyahu is set to deal with the inter-governmental group on Friday. He arrived at New York City on Thursday, just days after a number of countries, including the UK and France acknowledged Palestinian statehood at the General Assembly, in a historic transfer supporting a two-state answer.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has said that recognizing statehood means rewarding terrorism. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has slammed the choice, saying in July that the popularity is “reckless” and “serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”

In his Friday speech, Netanyahu is set to denounce the popularity of Palestinian statehood.

“At the UN General Assembly, I will speak our truth— the truth about the citizens of Israel, the truth about our IDF soldiers and the truth about our country,” Netanyahu said on Thursday on the Ben Gurion Airport tarmac in Israel before embarking on the journey.

“I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, rapists and child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the Land of Israel. This will not happen,” he continued.

Following the General Assembly, Netanyahu will journey to Washington to meet with President Trump at the White House.