Netanyahu’s Flight to US Skips France and Spain Amid Arrest Warrant Concerns

Tel Aviv/Washington: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s flight to the United States on Wednesday, September 24, avoided French and Spanish airspace, sparking speculation over whether the unusual route was linked to arrest warrants issued against him in both countries for alleged war crimes.

According to FlightRadar24, Netanyahu’s aircraft instead routed via Greece and Italy before heading westward. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has not clarified the reason, and CNN has reached out for comment.

The move comes just two weeks after Netanyahu’s office confirmed that several journalists and members of his entourage would not join the US trip due to “technical arrangements related to seating and security.”

The Jerusalem Post, however, reported that the deviation might have been fuel-related and a logistical adjustment, not necessarily linked to legal concerns.

French media, citing a diplomatic source, said Paris had approved an Israeli request for overflight permissions but added, “Eventually they decided to take another route and we don’t know the reason.”

By contrast, Netanyahu’s previous US trip in July included passages over Greece, Italy, and France, as per ADS-B Exchange flight data.