![\"Netanyahu](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Israel-wing-of-Zion-credit-llhz2805-cc4-wikipedia.jpg\")
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The warrant was a historic milestone, marking the first time the ICC has targeted the leader of a Western-backed democracy. Credit: LLHZ2805<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>\/Wikipedia<\/p>\n Flight data indicates that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s official aircraft, the \u201cWing of Zion,\u201d crossed the airspace of three International Criminal Court (ICC) member states\u2014Greece<\/a>, Italy, and France\u2014on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.<\/p>\n This journey to Washington occurred despite an outstanding ICC arrest warrant issued against him more than a year ago.<\/p>\n The incident highlights a significant tension between international legal obligations and the practicalities of diplomatic overflight.<\/p>\n Background on Netanyahu\u2019s arrest warrant<\/p>\n The ICC issued the arrest warrant<\/a> for Netanyahu on November 21, 2024, following an extensive investigation by Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan. The court found \u201creasonable grounds\u201d to believe Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant bear criminal responsibility for War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity.<\/p>\n The warrant was a historic milestone, marking the first time the ICC has targeted the leader of a Western-backed democracy. While Israel and its allies, particularly the United States, have rejected the court\u2019s jurisdiction as \u201coutrageous\u201d and \u201cantisemitic,\u201d all 125 signatories to the Rome Statute are technically legally bound to cooperate with the court\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n The airspace controversy<\/p>\n Under international law, the obligations of member states regarding airspace are more nuanced than those on the ground.<\/p>\n While Article 89 of the Rome Statute mandates that member states arrest and surrender individuals on their territory, it does not explicitly define \u201coverflight\u201d by a state aircraft (which carries sovereign immunity) as a trigger for arrest unless a landing\u2014scheduled or unscheduled\u2014occurs.<\/p>\n Shift in travel strategy<\/p>\n The route taken this week mirrors a trip in late December 2025 and represents a shift in Netanyahu\u2019s travel security strategy. Previously, the Prime Minister\u2019s flights had taken significant detours to avoid \u201cunfriendly\u201d ICC member states. For instance, during a trip to the UN General Assembly in September 2025, his flight avoided French airspace entirely, lengthening the journey by several hours.<\/p>\n However, his recent use of Greek, French, and Italian corridors suggests a calculated assessment that these specific allies\u2014despite being Rome Statute signatories\u2014will not take the extraordinary step of intercepting a foreign leader\u2019s aircraft in flight.<\/p>\n Netanyahu\u2019s arrival in Washington for talks with President Donald Trump marks his first major diplomatic mission of 2026. The discussions are expected to focus heavily on the \u201cIranian threat\u201d<\/a> and regional security following recent indirect talks in Oman.<\/p>\n