Israeli manufacturers petition French court to overturn naval expo ban on firms
French decision to prohibit 7 Israeli companies from exhibiting at defense fair in November in Paris will be discussed at an urgent hearing on Friday
Sharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel.
The Manufacturers Association of Israel has filed an appeal against the French government’s decision to bar Israel’s largest defense firms, for the second time this year, from exhibiting at a major naval defense expo in Paris.
The petition filed to the Paris Commercial Court was submitted by the manufacturers association together with the Israel-France Chamber of Commerce, Israel Shipyards, and representatives of five additional Israeli defense firms that have been banned from exhibiting at the Euronaval expo taking place November 4-7 in Villepinte, near Paris.
The French court has scheduled an urgent hearing for the coming Friday to discuss the appeal and a ruling on the matter is expected to be given as early as next week, the association said.
Among the Israeli firms represented in the appeal are the country’s largest defense heavyweights, including Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Orbit Communications Systems, who had planned to showcase their military equipment at booths at the expo.
In the appeal filed against the organizers of the Euronaval expo, the petitioners argue that the ban goes against the principle of equality and the duty of the member states of the European Union to ensure an open and free competitive market while maintaining fair and non-discriminatory trade rules.
They asserted that the French government’s decision directly harms the ability of Israeli companies to participate and compete in the European defense market.
“On behalf of the State of Israel and the entire Jewish people, we want to send a clear and sharp message that we are done turning the other cheek, when there is an attempt of a boycott against us, even if it is ‘only’ business damage,” said Manufacturers Association President Ron Tomer. “The French government’s decision constitutes a direct violation of the ability of Israeli companies to participate and compete in an international exhibition and discriminates against them in a blatant and illegal manner and we will not allow this conduct to pass quietly.”
“The Israeli companies, which are at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation, developing breakthrough technological solutions, have the right to participate in exhibitions like any other company and there is no room to discriminate against them for political and non-business considerations,” Tomer said.
Euronaval said in a statement last week that the French government had informed it that Israeli delegations whose products are “used in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon,” are not permitted to exhibit at the naval warfare conference.
Some 500 exhibitors are expected to partake in the expo from 30 countries around the world, attracting 25,000 visitors.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the ministry will take “legal and diplomatic measures” against the decision by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s offensives in Gaza and Lebanon.
Earlier this month, the French president provoked an outcry in Jerusalem over his demand for an arms embargo on Israel, asserting it was the only way to end the fighting in Gaza and in Lebanon, a former French colony where Paris still wields great influence.
“The security embargo and boycott on Israel are another front that has been opened against us,” said Israel Shipyards CEO Eitan Zucker. “This requires decision-makers in Israel to rely mainly on the capabilities of the Israeli defense industries and to increase the provision of locally produced strategic platforms.”
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
