Netanyahu's UN Flight Faces the ICC Airspace Problem That Added 600km to His Route to New York Last Year

Netanyahu, right, risks detention if an emergency landing takes him to a country that backs the war crimes court in The Hague (Credit: US State Department)

Benjamin Netanyahu flies to New York for Thursday's UN General Assembly with an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest still in force. On the same trip last September, his jet flew around most of Europe. One Israeli estimate put the extra distance at 600km (372 miles).

The arrest risk arises if he lands, rather than simply passing through a country's airspace. Several European ICC member states have said they would seek to comply with their obligations if Netanyahu enters their territory. A medical or technical stop in one of those countries could result in his arrest. His office has not said which way the plane will fly.