Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has vowed to challenge the French government’s decision to prevent Israeli companies from participating in an upcoming naval trade show in Paris.
Organizers of the Euronaval exhibition, set for November 4-7, announced last week that Paris authorities had informed them Israeli delegations would not be permitted to have stands or display equipment at the event. Seven Israeli arms manufacturers were originally scheduled to attend.
Tensions between France and Israel have escalated in recent months, with French President Emmanuel Macron increasingly critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have now extended to Lebanon.
In a statement on Sunday, Katz said he had directed foreign ministry officials to pursue legal and diplomatic measures in response to Macron’s decision to block Israeli firms from showcasing their products at Euronaval.
“The repeated boycott of Israeli companies or the imposition of unacceptable conditions are undemocratic actions that should not occur between friendly nations. I urge President Macron to completely reverse these measures,” emphasized the minister.
In June, a French court banned Israeli companies from participating in the Eurosatory international arms fair in Paris, though this decision was later overturned by an appeals court.
“Israel is at the forefront of the battle against Iran and the radical Islamic axis of evil. France, along with the entire free world, should stand with us, not oppose us,” Katz asserted.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also criticized the ban on Saturday, accusing the French president of supporting Israel’s adversaries during a time of conflict by excluding Israeli firms from the Euronaval expo. Gallant added that Macron’s actions are “a disgrace to the French nation and the values of the free world that he claims to defend.”
Earlier this month, President Macron urged the US and EU to “halt arms shipments” to Israel, emphasizing the importance of seeking a “political solution” to the Middle East crisis and cautioning that Lebanon might become “a new Gaza.” In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Macron’s remarks as a “disgrace” and asserted that Israel “will prevail with or without” support from the West.
Source: RT.COM
