Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew through Canadian airspace on his way to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, as seen on online flight trackers. This occurred despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s previous affirmation that he would honor an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
This marked the second time in two months that Netanyahu’s official Israeli government aircraft traveled through Canadian sovereign territory. On this recent flight, Netanyahu’s plane crossed three Canadian provinces before entering U.S. airspace in Maine.
According to Canadian protocol, foreign government flights are required to seek permission well in advance before entering Canadian airspace. When asked if Israel sought permission for the latest flight, Global Affairs Canada declined to provide a response.
Despite concerns of potential arrest warrants, Netanyahu’s flying patterns to the U.S. have shown a shift over time. His recent flight path followed a Great Circle route from Tel Aviv to Maryland, crossing multiple European countries along the way.
While some European nations have been critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza and enforce ICC warrants, Netanyahu has managed to navigate through their airspace on his recent travels to the U.S. France is the only country that publicly confirmed giving permission for Netanyahu’s flights.
The flight route taken by Netanyahu’s plane on this trip to the U.S. was a direct Great Circle path, indicating a more direct approach compared to previous detours taken to avoid certain countries’ airspace.
Overall, Netanyahu’s recent flight to meet Trump showcased a strategic shift in his flying patterns, potentially indicating reduced concerns about the risk of arrest during his travels.
