Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly altered his flight path to avoid flying over several countries that could potentially enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to a report by Haaretz.

Netanyahu flew from Hungary to Washington, DC, over the weekend to meet with US President Donald Trump. However, the aircraft he travelled on took a route approximately 400km (248 miles) longer than usual.

This detour was allegedly made to avoid the airspace of Ireland, Iceland, and the Netherlands — all of which are parties to the Rome Statute and considered capable of acting on the ICC warrant.

In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister, citing alleged war crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza.

While the warrants have not yet led to any enforcement actions, the move has triggered significant diplomatic and security concerns for Israeli officials travelling abroad.

Prior to arriving in Washington, Netanyahu visited Hungary, where he held talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Ahead of the visit, the Hungarian government announced its intention to withdraw from the Rome Statute, which forms the legal foundation of the ICC.

Despite the fact that the withdrawal will not take effect for another year, Orbán made clear that his administration would not cooperate with the ICC or enforce the arrest warrant during Netanyahu’s visit.

Upon arriving in Washington on Sunday, Netanyahu and his wife Sara were greeted by officials on the tarmac. His meeting with Trump is expected to focus on strengthening political ties and addressing developments in the Middle East.

The decision to reroute the prime minister’s flight underscores the growing impact of the ICC’s actions on international diplomacy, as well as the complexities faced by leaders under investigation when travelling abroad.