Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rerouted his flight to the United States, adding 400 kilometers to avoid airspace over European nations likely to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against him, according to The Times of Israel. The move underscores the growing international pressure on Israel amid accusations of war crimes in Gaza, with critics slamming Netanyahu’s maneuvers as a desperate bid to dodge accountability.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on November 21, 2024, for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza. The court’s decision has restricted Netanyahu’s travel, forcing him to carefully navigate routes to avoid countries bound by the Rome Statute, which mandates cooperation with ICC rulings. On his latest trip from Hungary to Washington, Netanyahu’s plane bypassed Ireland, Iceland, and the Netherlands—nations expected to detain him—opting instead for a longer path over Croatia, Italy, and France, according to Haaretz.
Netanyahu’s recent visit to Hungary marked his first trip to an ICC member state since the warrant was issued. Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has since announced its withdrawal from the ICC, a move critics argue was designed to shield Netanyahu. “Hungary’s exit from the ICC is a shameful capitulation to Israel’s impunity,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now, speaking to media. “It undermines decades of progress in international justice.”
Israeli media noted that Netanyahu has consistently used safer routes, such as those over Greece and Italy, for US travel since Gaza operations intensified. Supporters of Israel’s actions defend the prime minister’s caution as a necessary response to what they call a “biased” ICC. “The court’s decision is a political witch hunt,” claimed David Weinberg, a spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in a statement to The Jerusalem Post. “Israel will not bow to external pressures while defending its citizens.”
Meanwhile, voices from Gaza express frustration at the international community’s inability to enforce the ICC’s warrants. “Netanyahu can reroute his plane, but he can’t escape the truth,” said Mohammed al-Zein, a displaced resident of Khan Younis, speaking to media. “The world sees what he’s done to us.” The conflict in Gaza, which has claimed thousands of lives, continues to fuel global debates over accountability and justice.
As Netanyahu navigates these legal and diplomatic hurdles, the ICC’s warrants remain a potent symbol of the challenges facing Israel’s leadership. For now, the altered flight path serves as a stark reminder of the long shadow cast by international law.
