Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, but he took a lengthy detour to get there, steering clear of much of Europe as he faces an international arrest warrant and potential detention if he lands in several countries.
- Taking the long way. Flight-tracking data showed Netanyahu's aircraft, known as the Wing of Zion, hugging the Mediterranean before veering south near Gibraltar and then crossing the Atlantic, reports the Guardian. The plane briefly entered Greek and Italian airspace but avoided more direct routes that would have passed over France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and the UK.
- The arrest warrant. The prime minister faces an International Criminal Court warrant over alleged war crimes, including the use of starvation as a weapon in Gaza. The European nations he avoided, as signatories to the ICC, are legally bound to arrest and surrender him if he enters their territory. It's doubtful whether they would have forced his plane to land, but he could have been arrested if his plane had to make an emergency landing, the Guardian notes. Israel, like the US, doesn't recognize the ICC's authority.
- His speech. Netanyahu's speech Friday morning is expected to push back aggressively against Western countries' recognition of a Palestinian state, the Times of Israel reports. France announced the move at the UN on Monday, a day after the UK, Canada, and Australia. CNN reports that Israel launched an ad campaign in New York ahead of his speech, with the message "REMEMBER OCTOBER 7" on billboards and trucks.
- A "crazy idea." Sources tell Haaretz that the Israeli military has been ordered to broadcast the speech on the streets of Gaza from loudspeakers attached to trucks. "It's a crazy idea," one senior officer says. "People from across the political spectrum are asking what this delusion is. No one understands the military benefit here."
Trump on Thursday said of Israel's war in Gaza,
"It's time to stop now."
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