Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to fly to New York next week on a deleted delegation and a longer route mounted on the so-called Zion wing, avoiding airspace where ICC politics could complicate excessive flights and landing in a state where he is mandated to arrest him in an emergency.
Israeli officials confirmed detours to allow additional fuel and corresponding weight reductions, but the Prime Minister’s Office said journalists would be excluded from the flight, citing “technical arrangements.”
The change follows previous cases in which Netanyahu expanded its routes to bypass countries that are likely to enforce warrants, and highlights the practical constraints of being a transport leader.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and then Minister of War, Joab Gallant, in November 2024, alleging war crimes as a crime against war and humanity, including murder and persecution between October 8, 2023 and May 20, 2024.
The judge rejected the issue of Israeli jurisdiction, reminded parties of their duties under Roman law, and further strengthened the legal vise on Israeli leaders.
In New York, frontrunner candidate Zoran Mamdani vowed to order Netanyahu’s arrest if he lands in the city. It shows how much mainstream politics has changed under the weight of Gaza’s negligence, while being contested by legal experts.
Netanyahu has already scrapped the Vatican visit scheduled for earlier this year amid uncertainty over arrest reveal. Another sign that the Prime Minister rerouteed not only his flights but his world.