Netanyahu Takes Unusual Detour to UN Assembly Amid ICC Arrest Threat

Netanyahu Takes Unusual Detour to UN Assembly Amid ICC Arrest Threat

Specific charges against Netanyahu include the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, willful killing, murder, willfully causing great suffering, and intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population.

RMN News Political Desk
September 26, 2025

New York/The Hague — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s flight to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and a meeting with US President Donald Trump took an unusual detour this week to avoid European airspace. This route change is widely believed to be a measure to evade enforcement of an outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Netanyahu departed Tel Aviv on Wednesday (September 24) evening to attend the UN General Assembly. Normally, flights from Tel Aviv to New York fly over several European countries such as France and Spain. However, according to reports, flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the Prime Minister’s plane taking a longer route, flying over the Mediterranean Sea and through the Strait of Gibraltar. The plane briefly passed over Greece and Italy but entirely avoided French and Spanish airspace, significantly extending the overall flight duration.

This unusual path marks a clear change, as Netanyahu’s previous trip to the US in July included passage over Greece, Italy, and France. The longer route was taken specifically to avoid potential arrest in ICC member states. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has not publicly explained the reason for the flight path alteration.

Despite the clear avoidance shown by flight tracking data, a French diplomatic source reportedly told news agency AFP that France had authorized Netanyahu’s use of its airspace. Spain, which was also avoided, has announced support for the ICC’s investigation into alleged human rights violations in Gaza and is actively probing the matter.

[ Also Read: Putin Skips Brazil BRICS Summit Over ICC Warrant ]

The Arrest Warrant and Alleged Crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu on November 21, 2024, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I found “reasonable grounds to believe” that he bears criminal responsibility for these crimes. The alleged crimes were committed in the Gaza Strip, between at least October 8, 2023, and at least May 20, 2024.

Specific charges against Netanyahu include the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, willful killing, murder, willfully causing great suffering, and intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population. The ICC cited Netanyahu’s role in impeding humanitarian aid and restricting access to essential supplies, including food, water, electricity, and fuel, which led to severe deprivation for the civilian population in Gaza.

Enforcement Challenges and International Obligations

The ICC arrest warrant, while unexecuted, means Netanyahu could face arrest if he travels to any of the 124 member countries of the ICC. All 124 states that are parties to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, are legally obliged to arrest him and transfer him to The Hague if he enters their territory.

The ICC lacks its own police force or the direct power to enforce arrest warrants, meaning its effectiveness depends entirely on the cooperation of its member states. While many countries support the ICC, several have indicated reluctance to enforce the warrant. For example, Hungary invited Netanyahu to visit in April 2025 and did not arrest him, leading the ICC to open an inquiry into Hungary.

Adding a layer of complexity to the situation, neither Israel nor the US are members of the ICC. Israel does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction and filed challenges to the court’s jurisdiction in September 2024, which the ICC rejected.

Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday (September 26) and is due to meet President Trump at the White House next week. The arrest warrant significantly limits Netanyahu’s international travel.