Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been forced to extend his stay in Warsaw for an extra day after a pushback tractor crashed into his plane just as it was about to take off.

According to El Al, the airline operating the PM’s plane, the tug slammed against the landing gear of the plane and seriously damaged it as apparently the tow bar snapped. The technicians looked into the damage and decided that the plane can’t take off yet.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to spend the night in Warsaw after his plane was damaged shortly before takeoff by a pushback tug. https://t.co/sgxsX9Xfz7pic.twitter.com/76JhesAxsm — Breaking Aviation News (@breakingavnews) February 15, 2019

Netanyahu’s return plane from Warsaw was grounded due to technical difficulties.Netanyahu is leaving the plane, new plane has to come from Israel to bring him back. pic.twitter.com/glT5fRmm7Y — Tovah Lazaroff (@tovahlazaroff) February 15, 2019

Netanyahu, his wife, and senior staff had to return to the hotel in Warsaw, where they had been staying since Tuesday.

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On Friday morning, the Prime Minister and his entourage boarded a replacement plane that the airline sent from Israel, the Israeli media reported.

Yes, Netanyahu finally leaving Warsaw pic.twitter.com/vA2XHLxKTm — Tovah Lazaroff (@tovahlazaroff) February 15, 2019

Netanyahu was in Warsaw to take part in a US-led Middle East conference. During his visit, Netanyahu controversially talked about the “war with Iran” and sparked a spat with Poland as he defied the controversial Holocaust law, which criminalizes blaming the Polish state for the extermination of Jews.

On Friday, the Polish Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador, demanding Netanyahu clarifies his statement.

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