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.

At first glance, the flight path made little sense. A direct routing over Europe is shorter and more efficient, and in the past, Netanyahu’s aircraft has regularly crossed European airspace, even as recently as earlier 2025. So why the change this time?

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.

By flying south over the Mediterranean, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar, and then crossing the Atlantic, Netanyahu’s aircraft stuck to airspace considered lower risk. Why? The extra flight time and fuel burn were seen as acceptable tradeoffs for reducing the chance of any legal entanglement en route.

But why? I mean, was he really going to divert to Morocco or Algeria if there was an issue? The answer is here:

Fears of a medical emergency while in the air were heightened as Netanyahu had his prostate removed in late 2024. “He had just had surgery, he came with two doctors, and they told him he may have to land for treatment,” it quoted the ambassador as saying. “But if he were to land anywhere in Europe, he could be arrested as a war criminal.”

The ambassador reportedly said Netanyahu’s flight deviated to fly in airspace close to US army bases, so he could land on those in an emergency.

This is it.

Yes, the unusual routing also has a symbolic dimension. Avoiding Europe entirely underscores Israel’s current isolation among many Western capitals and highlights the diplomatic tension surrounding Netanyahu’s government. Even in something as routine as a flight to New York, the politics of international law and diplomacy are on full display.

But the “smoking gun” is the proximity to US “sanctuary” bases in case of medical or mechanical emergency…

CONCLUSION

Netanyahu’s odd flight path to New York was not only about minimizing legal risk and avoiding potential diplomatic embarrassment, but not straying far from a friendly US base in case of diversion. With an ICC warrant outstanding, even the small chance of an unscheduled landing in hostile territory was enough to reshape the route. The result was a costly but calculated detour — a reminder that politics sometimes dictates flight plans just as much as operational necessity.