03.05.2025 15:11
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Öncü Keçeli, stated that the claims regarding the granting of overflight permission for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plane are not true and that no such request has been made.
The International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Palestine. For this reason, Netanyahu's flights are only conducted through countries deemed "safe" by them.
"WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUEST"
While developments are being closely monitored, claims have emerged that Netanyahu will use Turkish airspace. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli made a statement.
The statement included the following: "The claims that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's plane has been granted overflight permission are absolutely untrue. We have not received any request in this regard."
HE HAD CHANGED HIS ROUTE BEFORE
Recently, during a flight from Budapest to Washington, Netanyahu's flight was extended by 400 kilometers to pass through safe countries due to the possibility of arrest in the event of an "emergency landing."
Countries that are parties to the ICC, such as Ireland, Iceland, and the Netherlands, avoided flying over these countries due to the possibility of detaining Netanyahu if he were to land. Alternatively, Netanyahu's plane reached the U.S. by passing through Croatia, Italy, and France.
Since the start of Israel's operations in Gaza, all of Netanyahu's flights to the U.S. have similarly been conducted through countries considered to be at lower risk, such as Greece, Italy, and France.
AN ARREST WARRANT HAD BEEN ISSUED
The ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 21, 2024, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.
While the decision was interpreted as a historic step in terms of international law, it was characterized as political and invalid by the Israeli government.
Netanyahu's flight routes, along with discussions of diplomatic immunity, bring the impact of the international judicial system and differences in inter-country approaches back into focus.
The effects of the ICC's decision on diplomatic travel in the upcoming period are being closely watched.