Netanyahu flies over ICC countries amid arrest warrant

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World

'Israel' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flies through Greece, Italy, and France despite ICC arrest warrant.
Visit to Washington focuses on Iran discussions amid ongoing US-Iran negotiations.

'Israel' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane en route to the United States on Tuesday passed through the airspace of three countries party to the Rome Statute, despite an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Flight tracking site Flightradar showed Netanyahu’s private plane, “Wing of Zion,” flying over Greece, Italy, and France on its way to the US. The three nations are ICC members bound by its rulings, yet their airspace remained open to the flight.

The route mirrors one taken in late December, when Netanyahu traveled to meet US President Donald Trump. In previous trips, Netanyahu avoided entering certain countries’ airspace for fear of arrest, though in September he flew over Greece and Italy for the UN General Assembly, skipping France.

Focus on Iran

Netanyahu departed Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday to meet Trump in Washington, aiming to discuss Iran and other regional issues. The trip is scheduled to end with his return to 'Israel' on Friday.

Originally planned for February 18, the meeting was moved up due to renewed US-Iran negotiations. On Friday, indirect talks between the United States and Iran took place in Muscat, amid rising tensions and US military positioning in the region.

Netanyahu’s office emphasized that any negotiations should include restrictions on ballistic missiles and an end to Iran’s support for regional proxies. Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran insists on its right to uranium enrichment, while its missile capabilities were not discussed.

Tehran has warned of retaliation against any military strike, even limited, and maintains that Western sanctions should be lifted in exchange for nuclear restrictions.