Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent flight to meet U.S. President Donald Trump involved passing through Canadian airspace, as seen on online flight trackers. This journey occurred despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s previous statement indicating that he would uphold an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
This is not the first time Netanyahu’s official Israeli government aircraft has flown over Canadian sovereign territory. In December, Netanyahu’s Boeing 767, known as the Wing of Zion, overflew Newfoundland and Nova Scotia en route to Florida to meet with Trump at Mar-A-Lago.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu’s flight path crossed three Canadian provinces before entering U.S. airspace in Maine. Canadian protocol mandates that foreign government flights must obtain permission in advance before entering Canadian airspace, a process that includes submitting applications at least three working days prior to the proposed entry.
While Global Affairs Canada did not comment on whether Israel sought permission for the recent flight, the department emphasized Canada’s commitment to upholding international law and decisions of international judicial bodies, including compliance with obligations under the Rome Statute of the ICC.
Netanyahu’s recent flight route took a direct Great Circle path from Tel Aviv to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, encompassing multiple European countries. Despite some countries enforcing ICC warrants, Netanyahu’s flight patterns suggest a decreased concern about potential arrest risks.
France is the only country that publicly acknowledged granting permission for Netanyahu’s flights, while others like Spain and Slovenia have been critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Netanyahu has strategically avoided certain countries’ airspace to navigate his flights efficiently while minimizing potential legal challenges.
The flight paths of Netanyahu’s recent travels indicate a calculated approach to reach his destinations swiftly, navigating international airspace protocols and potential legal implications along the way.