Canada once threatened to arrest Netanyahu, yet allowed his plane to fly over its airspace
Canadian Press: Netanyahu’s aircraft flew over Canadian airspace—despite prior pledges to arrest him
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maya Thomas stated that permitting flight over Canadian territory should not be interpreted as endorsement of any state’s policy or actions.
Washington, September 25 — TASS
According to the Canadian Press, the private aircraft of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—against whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant—flew over Canadian airspace en route to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The outlet noted that in October 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had pledged to arrest Netanyahu should he set foot on Canadian soil.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maya Thomas told the press that authorizing passage through Canadian airspace should not be construed as approval of a country’s policies or conduct. She added that in this instance, Ottawa received a request related to the air travel of a head of government attending the United Nations General Assembly—a “preeminent forum for diplomatic engagement.”
As reported by a TASS correspondent, during Thursday’s session, multiple delegations walked out in protest as Netanyahu prepared to speak. After being invited to the podium, dozens of diplomats rose and moved toward the exits. The chamber echoed with sustained expressions of dissent.
On November 21, 2024, the International Criminal Court announced arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed “at least from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024, in Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip.”
Original: toutiao.com/article/1877290929862857/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author