Netanyahu takes Unusual Route to US Amid ICC Warrant
israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the United States, taking a flightโ path markedlyโ different from his โusual โขroute. this deviation occurred following the international Criminal Court’s (ICC) issuance of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant inโ November 2024, accusing them of responsibility for war crimesโค and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Israeli dailyโค “Israel Hayom,” the plane avoided flying over countries that might not reject theโ ICC warrant, “probably for fear that some European countries may take action against Netanyahu.” “Haaretz” โnoted that “This is the first timeโ Netanyahu flew a different route โthan usual.”
To โfacilitate bypassing Europe and reduce mass, the โflight โขto the US aboard the “Wing of Zion” carried fewer passengersโฃ thanโ usual, as reported by i24โ television. France, tho, did agree to allowโฃ the plane to fly over its territory, according to the AFP agency.
Netanyahu is scheduled to addressโ the 80th UN general Assembly session in New Yorkโ on Friday.Heโ will then meet with โคPresident donald Trump in โคWashington early next โweek,marking his fourth visit to the White house this year.
Sources told the Times of Israelโฃ that Netanyahu intends to use his UN speech to criticize countries that have recently officially recognized the statehood of Palestine, accusing them of indirectly supportingโ Hamas. His criticism is โขexpected โto specifically target France.
Prior to his UN address, Netanyahu is set to meet withโ Trump’s โMiddle East advisor, Steve Witkoff, on Thursday evening to discuss the latestโ Americanโ initiative for peace in the Israel-Hamas war. Reports indicate that Trump’s managementโ intends to โคpressure Netanyahu to accept the plan presented Tuesday to Arab and Muslim state leaders.
Meanwhile,โข protests โagainst Netanyahuโ are taking place outside โขthe Newโฃ York hotel where he is staying,โ with demonstrators calling for an end to theโ war and theโ release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. A segmentโค of Israeli public opinion has โlong accused the premiere of sabotaging truce negotiations and prolonging the war for political gain, possiblyโฃ endangeringโ the hostages who could be released through an agreement.