Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is routinely flying a direct path through Canadian airspace while traveling to the United States, despite an international arrest warrant that Canada has committed to enforce. A review of two years of flights reveals that Canadian authorities have permitted these overflights, drawing criticism for undermining public stances on international law.
Flight Data Shows Route Shifts Over European and Canadian Airspace
Flight data suggests that Netanyahu’s concerns regarding international travel risks peaked in late 2025. During a trip to New York that year, his government jet burned a considerable amount of extra fuel to bypass the European mainland, staying mostly over Mediterranean waters before entering the Atlantic Ocean via the Strait of Gibraltar. Similarly, during the UN General Assembly in September 2025, the Israeli leader’s government jet avoided much of the European landmass.
Netanyahu’s most recent overflight on September 24 for the United Nations General Assembly penetrated into the Canadian mainland, crossing Labrador and a large part of Quebec. This route was the one that ranged furthest into the Canadian mainland since the warrant was issued.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024. The warrant alleges war crimes, including “starvation as a method of warfare” and “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.” The Israeli government rejects the charges.
Diverging Legal Interpretations Among State Parties
As a signatory to the Rome Statute, Canada holds an obligation under the treaty to take into custody and hand over any individual targeted by a court-issued arrest warrant. According to Ardi Imseis, co-director of the international law program at Queen’s University, Ottawa violated its responsibilities under the Rome Statute by granting Netanyahu permission to fly through Canadian airspace on his way to the U.S.
European countries appear to be split on whether an obligation to enforce the warrant extends to sovereign airspace. France, which has also permitted Netanyahu’s aircraft to traverse its skies, maintains that it will execute ICC arrest warrants targeting Israeli officials, while simultaneously asserting it holds no such mandate regarding airborne transit. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux maintained after a recent flight that “the Rome Statute does not impose any obligations regarding overflights of its territory by a state plane which has a passenger who is targeted by an arrest warrant.”
Other European nations have adopted varied approaches. Italy and Greece have allowed Netanyahu to overfly national territory, but both have declined to explain their legal reasoning. Conversely, nations such as Slovenia and Turkey have publicly stated that their airspaces are closed to the Israeli leader, while Spain has not announced a ban but Netanyahu’s jet has made clear detours to avoid its airspace.
| Nation | Overflight Status | Stance on Rome Statute / Airspace |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Permitted | State party; criticized for allowing transit despite arrest obligations. |
| France | Permitted | State party; argues treaty obligations do not extend to state aircraft overflights. |
| Italy & Greece | Permitted | Declined to provide public legal reasoning for allowing transit. |
| Slovenia & Turkey | Prohibited | Publicly closed national airspace to the Israeli leader. |
Shifting Federal Explanations and UN Protocols
The Canadian federal government has been reluctant to say whether it granted permission for the flights. A statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office during the summer avoided direct commentary, noting instead that Canada’s “law enforcement objectives” generally remain separate from decisions surrounding who is authorized to fly through national airspace.
Moments before Netanyahu touched down in Manhattan regarding the September 24 overflight, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand informed journalists that she lacked details on whether the Israeli premier would traverse Canadian skies and stated she was seeking updates from her officials. Official Canadian protocols dictate that requests for such flights must be submitted to Anand’s ministry no less than 48 hours prior to the minister’s public statements.
Subsequent comments from Global Affairs Canada representative Myah Tomasi attributed the approval to a desire to honor longstanding United Nations customs.
