In the latest of a series of incidents marking heightened tensions between Paris and Tel Aviv, France bans Israel from attending the Euronaval warfare trade show.
Israel was banned from participating in the Euronaval fair that is scheduled to take place in the French capital, Paris, between November 4-7, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The ban on Israeli companies is the latest in a series of incidents that mark the growing tension between France and Israel on Paris’ unease over Tel Aviv’s bearing in its wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Israeli firms will be allowed to attend the fair but are prohibited from exhibiting their weaponry during the event.
The naval warfare trade show features major companies the likes of BAE Systems, Naval Group, and Fincantieri.
Large Israeli companies like Rafael, Elbit Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries, were among seven other contractors scheduled to take part in the show.
The latest move by France comes months after Israel was banned from taking part in one of the most prominent land armament fairs, Eurosatory, in May before a court order overturned the decision, but it was not in time for Israeli companies to participate.
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‘A Disgrace’
Israel was quick to comment on the ban through its Defense Minister Yoav Gallant who labeled the decision on Wednesday as “a disgrace”, accusing Paris of practicing “a hostile policy towards the Jewish people,” Reuters news agency reported.
“French President Macron’s actions are a disgrace to the French nation and the values of the free world, which he claims to uphold,” Gallant said in a post on X as quoted by Reuters.
“France has adopted, and is consistently implementing, a hostile policy towards the Jewish people,” he reportedly added.
The Israeli defense minister promised nonetheless that this will not affect his country’s military performance in its raging wars in the entire region.
“We will continue defending our nation against enemies on 7 different fronts, and fighting for our future – with or without France,” he stressed.
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According to Reuters, the Israeli embassy in Paris issued a statement in which it said that the ban does not help relations between the two countries.
“These measures not only harm relations between our two countries, but also the bonds of trust that they have built, and thus cast doubt on France’s ability to play a leading role on the diplomatic scene to promote peace and stability in the Middle East,” the statement read as quoted by Reuters.
‘Shame on Them’
The Euronaval ban comes amidst heightened tension between the French President Emmanuel Macron and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu slammed the French president on Tuesday regarding his earlier comments to a Cabinet meeting that “Netanyahu must not forget that Israel was founded (in 1948) by a UN decision, and thus he cannot ignore UN resolutions.”
Addressing Macron, the Israeli prime minister denied that Israel was established based on a United Nations resolution, saying that it was rather founded “by Holocaust survivors including from the (Nazi collaborationist) Vichy regime in France.”
Earlier this month, Netanyahu had slammed the French president over his call to impose an arms embargo on Israel.
Netanyahu Blasts Macron’s Stance on Arms Embargo: ‘Shame on Them’
On October 5, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a stop to arms deliveries to Israel amidst criticism of its military operations in Gaza, Agence France Press reported.
Netanyahu responded by saying “Shame on them” about Macron and other Western leaders calling for an arms embargo on Israel.
“Israel will win with or without their support,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office.
The French president, according to a statement by the Elysée, also condemned Israel’s “indiscriminate” military strikes in Gaza and Lebanon, and voiced his outrage over Tel Aviv’s targeting of the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the south of the country.
(PC, MEMO)
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