European Nations Grant Airspace Access to Netanyahu Despite ICC Warrants, Flight Path Reveals
JERUSALEM — The governments of Greece, Italy, and France have reportedly permitted the plane of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to traverse their airspace today as he travels to the United States, despite outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants against him.
The flight, carrying the Israeli premier to Washington, D.C. for a high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Iran’s nuclear program, utilized the “Wing of Zion” state aircraft. Flight tracking data indicates a path crossing through the sovereign airspace of three distinct ICC member states—Greece, Italy, and France—before entering the Atlantic corridor.
This authorization marks a continued defiance of the obligations theoretically imposed by the Rome Statute, to which all three nations are signatories. The treaty mandates that member states cooperate with the Court in the arrest and surrender of individuals sought for serious international crimes. Netanyahu, along with former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, has been the subject of active ICC arrest warrants since November 2024 for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the conflict in Gaza.
The decision to grant overflight rights has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts and human rights advocates, who argue that it effectively nullifies the enforceability of international law. By allowing safe passage to a suspect wanted by The Hague, these European governments are facing accusations of rendering the Court’s mandates unenforceable in practice.
“This is not an isolated incident but a pattern,” noted a legal analyst monitoring the flight’s trajectory. “When key signatories to the Rome Statute actively facilitate the movement of a wanted individual, it suggests that geopolitical alliances are taking precedence over international judicial commitments.”
The Prime Minister’s travel comes at a critical diplomatic juncture. Netanyahu moved his trip forward to Tuesday, February 10, to secure an early Wednesday meeting with President Trump. The agenda is set to focus heavily on “limiting the Iranian axis,” with Netanyahu expected to press for stricter controls on Tehran’s ballistic missile program and uranium enrichment activities.
While official spokespeople for the Greek, Italian, and French foreign ministries have not immediately issued comments regarding the specific authorization of today’s flight, the trajectory confirms that no attempt was made to intercept the aircraft or enforce the warrants. This stands in contrast to earlier travel arrangements in 2025, where the Israeli Prime Minister’s aircraft occasionally took circuitous routes to avoid certain jurisdictions.
The seamless passage through European skies today reinforces the view among critics that the ICC warrants face insurmountable political hurdles when applied to leaders of Western-aligned nations. As the “Wing of Zion” approaches the United States—which is not a party to the ICC—the limitations of the international legal framework remain starkly visible.
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