ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu has again avoided Irish airspace as he made his way to New York to address the United Nations.
Netanyahu’s government plane, known as the ‘Wing of Zion’, took off from Israel at 2am Irish time and navigated a route that took it over Greece, Italy and then France.
Flight-tracking websites show that after leaving French airspace off the coast of Brest, the aircraft continued in a westward direction but maintained a heading that kept it south of entering Irish airspace.
The route then took the plane towards the North Atlantic towards Canada and the US but it avoided entering Irish airspace.
Netanyahu’s flight route was taken in the context of the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the likelihood that some nations would enforce the warrant.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Netanyahu’s office has rejected the ICC allegations and previously described the court as a “kangaroo court”.
Netanyahu can’t be arrested for simply being in a country’s airspace – but if the plane needed to make an emergency landing, he could be arrested if he had set foot in a nation that would enforce the warrant.
The Israeli Prime Minister has avoided Irish airspace on previous occasions but Israeli media has reported that all of Netanyahu’s flights to the US since October 2023 have crossed through Greece, Italy and France.
France, Italy and Greece are signatories of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court and grants it jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
As outlined by the Rome Statute, it is the duty of all 125 signatory states to exercise their criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes.
Essentially, all ICC member states are now required to arrest Netanyahu if he enters their territory.
Despite this, France, Greece and Italy have each suggested that they would not detain Netanyahu under the ICC warrant.
The Irish government said after the ICC warrant was first issued that “those who commit war crimes and crimes against humanity, must be held fully to account”.
The French foreign ministry said in 2024 that the country would not arrest Netanyahu as the Israeli leader is covered by immunity that applies to states which are not a part of the ICC.
Like the United States, Israel is not a member of the ICC.
Netanyahu’s plane is expected to traverse Canadian airspace but the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand would not confirm this yesterday when asked by reporters yesterday at UN headquarters.
“I actually have asked my department to provide me with information relating to this particular flyover, which I did not have before coming to the United Nations,” Anand said according to Canadian broadcaster CTV News.
New York
While the US does not accept the ICC’s jurisdiction, leaders visiting the United Nations are also generally immune from US authorities.
Despite this convention, the US State Department has refused to grant a visa to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to address the UN today and he will instead address the meeting remotely.
Netanyahu’s arrest warrant has also created another point of contention between the Israeli leader and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani said he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest if he visited New York but this year he confirmed that his office does not have the authority to carry out such an arrest.
Mamdani said his administration had examined whether New York City could execute the warrant ahead of this UN General Assembly
“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” Mamdani said in July
He added: “The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.”
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly at 7pm Irish time and has vowed to denounce Mamdani during his speech.
“I’m coming to the UN, I’m going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers and I’m going to tell the truth about you,” he said, addressing Mamdani.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was asked about Netanyahu’s criticism of Mamdani and he said that the Israeli prime minister should “respect his mandate and not endeavour to undermine it or cast doubt on it”.
– With reporting by Andrew Walsh and AFP
