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France defended its decision to allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane to cross French airspace on Thursday as he traveled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
The French government said the overflight complied with international law and argued that the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, does not require member states to take action against a state aircraft simply because a passenger is subject to an arrest warrant.
France is a party to the Rome Statute and is generally required to cooperate with the Hague-based court, including on requests to arrest and surrender suspects who enter its territory. However, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said those obligations do not extend to this type of overflight.
Confavreux said the clearance was “in full conformity with international law,” adding that the treaty does not impose obligations concerning state aircraft carrying someone targeted by an ICC warrant.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed Netanyahu’s aircraft traveled through the airspace of Greece, Italy and France on its way to the United States. Italy’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately confirm whether Israeli authorities had formally requested permission to cross Italian airspace.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict. Israel rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction and disputes the allegations against its officials.
Netanyahu’s latest route contrasts with his trip to New York for the UN General Assembly last year, when his aircraft reportedly took a longer route that avoided the airspace of several European countries.
The issue comes amid renewed U.S. pressure on the ICC. President Donald Trump this week urged member countries to leave the court, while France has publicly condemned threats against the institution. Netanyahu arrived in New York on Thursday for a brief visit centered on his UN General Assembly address.
