FM vows legal action against Macron for banning Israeli firms from Paris arms fair
Katz slams ‘anti-democratic’ decision to bar 7 companies from presenting at Euronaval show in November; official says Israel will take discrimination suit to French court
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that his ministry will take “legal and diplomatic measures” against French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to bar Israeli companies, for the second time this year, from presenting at a major defense expo in Paris.
An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Jerusalem will take the issue to French courts, where they will claim illegal discrimination by Macron, who has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s offensives in Gaza and Lebanon.
Writing on X in French and Hebrew, Katz said the “anti-democratic” boycott is unacceptable coming from an ally, and called on France and the West to support Israel, “the only state on the front lines” against the “Iranian axis of evil and radical Islam.”
Euronaval, organizer of the November 4-7 event, said in a statement last week that the French government had informed it that Israeli delegations were not allowed to exhibit stands or show equipment, but could attend the trade show. The decision affected seven firms, it said.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ripped into the decision Wednesday, writing on X that Macron’s actions were “a disgrace” and that France had adopted “a hostile policy toward the Jewish people.”
France had previously barred Israeli firms from participating in the Eurosatory military trade show, which took place in Paris in June, as Macron was urging a ceasefire in Gaza.
The French president has provoked outrage in Jerusalem over his call for an arms embargo on Israel earlier this month, saying it was the only way to end the fighting in Gaza and in Lebanon, a former French colony where Paris still wields great influence.
Macron, along with other European allies of Israel, has also assailed Israel for firing at troops from international peacekeeping force UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. France contributes some 700 troops to the 10,000-strong force.
French officials have repeatedly said that Paris is committed to Israel’s security and pointed out that its military helped defend Israel after Iran attacked it in April and earlier this month.
Israel launched ground operations against Iran’s Lebanese proxy Hezbollah in September after months of near-daily skirmishes along the border. Hezbollah-led forces began attacking Israeli border communities and military posts on October 8, 2023, a day after thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill nearly 1,200 people and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in Gaza.
Reuters contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.