France says ICC warrant posed no obstacle to Netanyahu overflight

France defends its decision to let Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane cross its airspace en route to the United Nations, saying international law did not require action despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Israel has denounced the charges and denied the accusations. Former defense minister Yoav Gallant also faces an arrest warrant.

France is a signatory of the ICC’s founding Rome Statute and is formally bound to cooperate with the court, including arresting suspects who enter its territory. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux tells reporters the clearance was “in full conformity with international law.”

“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,” Confavreux says.

Netanyahu is unable to travel to many countries because of the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him and Gallant, as well as the then-military commander of Hamas in 2024.

Flight-tracking app Flightradar24 shows Netanyahu’s plane flew over Greece, Italy and France. A spokesperson for Italy’s Foreign Ministry says they cannot immediately answer whether Israeli authorities had sought permission for an overflight.

Last year Netanyahu flew a circuitous route to New York to skirt the airspace of several European countries, including France, media reported at the time.

Netanyahu arrived in New York this morning, local time, and is due to address the UN later today.