Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official aircraft will reportedly avoid landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport during his visit to the United States this Thursday, amid concerns that New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani could order the plane to leave the airport immediately.
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Netanyahu’s official aircraft, the Wing of Zion, is instead expected to land either at a military base in New Jersey or at Newark Liberty International Airport.
According to the newspaper, the decision follows difficulties coordinating with US authorities and Israeli concerns that Mamdani could prevent the aircraft from remaining at JFK while Netanyahu is in New York.
Under the revised arrangement, the plane would land and remain in New Jersey instead.
Netanyahu Shortens His New York Visit
Yedioth Ahronoth also cited unnamed informed sources saying Netanyahu had decided to significantly shorten his stay in New York and would no longer spend the night in the city because of concerns over anticipated protests.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly during the visit. Reporting on his itinerary indicates that he is expected to spend only a short period in New York.
The newspaper also reported that Netanyahu cancelled a planned stop in Texas where he had been expected to meet billionaire Elon Musk.
An Israeli source commenting on the cancellation said there had been coordination difficulties, both because the aircraft would have needed to land for refuelling and because US authorities were reluctant to arrange the visit at short notice.
The changes to Netanyahu’s travel arrangements come amid heightened political sensitivity surrounding his visit to New York and Mamdani’s previous public positions regarding the Israeli prime minister.
The immediate concern reported by Israeli media, however, centres not on Netanyahu’s entry into New York itself, but on whether his official aircraft would be allowed to remain at JFK throughout the visit.
