Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s flight to New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly took a highly unusual path that has raised eyebrows and fueled a lot of speculation. Rather than taking the standard route over Europe, his Boeing 767 took a circuitous detour over the Mediterranean and Atlantic before turning west, adding more than two hours to the journey.

Netanyahu Avoids Europe On Flight To New York

Netanyahi flew from Tel Aviv (TLV) to New York (JK) on The Wing of Zion, Israel’s equivalent of the US’s Air Force One, a modified Boeing 767-300 with registration code 4X-ISR.

The answer appears to be rooted in politics and legal risk. In 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. While the likelihood of arrest is extremely low, the risk is not zero. If the plane had been forced to divert into an ICC member state due to a mechanical issue or medical emergency, authorities could theoretically carry out the warrant, even in Europe.

Countries like France, Spain, and others have signed onto the ICC, meaning overflying their airspace carries some legal exposure. According to The Guardian, France had technically granted overflight permission for Netanyahu’s plane, but the route filed avoided French airspace entirely. The decision may reflect both a cautious legal strategy and strained diplomatic relations, with France recently clashing with Israel over recognition of Palestine.

A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.