Netanyahu Avoids ICC Risk with Longer Flight Path to U.S.
Israeli PM bypasses countries likely to enforce ICC warrant, meets Trump amid protests and trade talks in Washington.
Watan-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to the United States late Sunday into Monday via a route approximately 400 kilometers longer than the optimal path for his travel. The detour was taken to avoid flying over countries that might enforce the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, in the event of an emergency landing.
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Monday, Netanyahu departed directly for Washington from the Hungarian capital of Budapest to attend an emergency meeting at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump. Israeli officials estimate that countries such as Ireland, Iceland, and the Netherlands could potentially enforce the ICC warrant.
Therefore, the “Wing of Zion” aircraft carrying Netanyahu flew over Croatia, Italy, and France. Since the start of the war, all of Netanyahu’s flights to the United States have followed a similar path: flying over Greece, Italy, and France, then crossing the Atlantic.
In this context, the Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv described Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary as a “dream visit.” It wrote on Monday that Netanyahu “concluded his four-day visit to Hungary, which was like a dream visit that is hard to replicate in any other European country. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is not only Netanyahu’s ideological ally and a loyal partner in the conservative alliance, but also a personal friend.”
Netanyahu Welcomed by Orbán, Meets U.S. Officials Ahead of Trump Talks Despite ICC Warrants
The paper added that “everything the Israeli Prime Minister, who is subject to ICC arrest warrants, cannot obtain in 124 countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, was generously offered to him by his friend Orbán.” It also noted that Netanyahu, accompanied by his wife Sara, enjoyed quality time in Budapest.
On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza. The U.S. capital, Washington, saw protests by activists opposing the hosting and invitation of the Israeli Prime Minister to meet with Trump at the White House.
Shortly after his arrival on Sunday, Netanyahu met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamison Greer. According to Haaretz, the meeting likely discussed the tariff policy announced by the Trump administration, set to take effect on Wednesday. Netanyahu’s office said the meeting “was good and held in a positive spirit.”
Netanyahu Invited to U.S. Tariff Meeting, Sources Say
According to sources close to Netanyahu, unnamed by the newspaper, the meeting suggests that Trump is, in principle, open to reaching settlements on the tariff issue. The sources also indicated that the invitation extended to Netanyahu to attend the meeting on tariffs “is an achievement,” as he is the first and only leader so far invited to such a discussion. Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump later on Monday, followed by a joint press conference.
This marks Netanyahu’s second visit to the United States since Trump resumed the presidency on January 20. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office emphasized on Sunday that it was the White House that insisted on the meeting’s timing, which led to the cancellation of one of Netanyahu’s court sessions in his ongoing corruption trials scheduled for this week.
