UN Expert Slams France, Italy, and Greece for Granting Netanyahu Safe Air Passage Despite ICC Arrest Warrant
Francesca Albanese demands explanation from three European states for allowing Israeli PM Netanyahu—wanted for war crimes—to fly through their airspace en route to the U.S.
Watan-The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has demanded explanations from three European countries for allowing a “safe air corridor” for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for committing war crimes.
This came in response to France, Greece, and Italy—three state parties to the Rome Statute that established the ICC—permitting Netanyahu to use their airspace during his flight to the United States, where he met with President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu has been visiting Washington since Sunday, with his trip scheduled to end on Thursday. This is his third visit to the U.S. in the past six months.
Posting on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Albanese stated:“The governments of Italy, France, and Greece must clarify why they provided safe airspace and passage to Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court and should be arrested under their obligations to the Rome Statute.”
She added that the citizens of the three European nations “deserve to know that every political act that violates the international legal order weakens them, weakens us all, and puts us all in danger.”
The governments of Italy, France, and Greece must explain why they provided airspace and safe passage to ICC-wanted Benjamin Netanyahu, whom they are obligated to arrest. Italian, French and Greek citizens deserve to know that every political action violating the int’l legal… https://t.co/gfcAZQOOFi
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) July 9, 2025
On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, charging him with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
That same month, the European Commission reaffirmed its support for the ICC and stated that all EU member states are obligated to enforce the arrest warrants against Netanyahu.
The arrest warrant has since become a litmus test for global commitment to international justice, with Article 89 of the Rome Statute requiring state parties to cooperate with the ICC in executing arrest orders.
In April 2025, Netanyahu reportedly took a long detour from Budapest to Washington to avoid airspace where an emergency landing could have led to his arrest, as reported by Israeli media.
However, no similar precautions were reported during his current visit to the U.S.
While the United States is not a member of the ICC, Netanyahu has generally avoided flying through the airspace of ICC-member countries due to the risk of detainment.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel—backed by the U.S.—has waged what many international observers describe as a genocidal war in Gaza, marked by mass killings, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, in open defiance of global appeals and binding orders from the International Court of Justice.
The war has resulted in over 194,000 Palestinians killed or injured, the majority being women and children, with more than 10,000 reported missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and widespread famine claiming the lives of many—especially children.
