Last week, Israeli officials ripped French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to prohibit Israeli companies from presenting or participating in the upcoming Euronaval defense exposition.
This week, they are taking it a step further and Foreign Minister Israel Katz vows to take legal action against the discrimination.
On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant slammed the President with a statement on X:
French President Macron’s actions are a disgrace to the French nation and the values of the free world, which he claims to uphold. The decision to discriminate against Israeli defense industries in France a second time - aids Israel’s enemies during war. This builds on the…
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) October 16, 2024
“French President Macron’s actions are a disgrace to the French nation and the values of the free world, which he claims to uphold. The decision to discriminate against Israeli defense industries in France a second time - aids Israel’s enemies during war. This builds on the decision to place an arms embargo on the Jewish State.
France has adopted, and is consistently implementing a hostile policy towards the Jewish people. We will continue defending our nation against enemies on 7 different fronts, and fighting for our future - with or without France.
Then on Sunday, Foreign Minister posted a message on X in the French language that read:
"I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist Israeli companies in their diplomatic and legal actions against the decision of the French President @EmmanuelMacron to prevent Israeli companies from presenting their products at the @SalonEuronaval fair in Paris next month.
The boycott of Israeli companies, and this for the second time, with the imposition of unacceptable conditions, are anti-democratic measures that in our eyes are not acceptable, especially between friendly nations. I urge President Macron to cancel them completely.
Israel is the only state on the front lines in the fight against the radical Islamic regime, and France, along with the entire Western world, should stand with us - not against us."
Katz mentions that this is the second time that Israel has been unfairly excluded. In June, France prohibited Israeli companies from participating in one of the largest defense expositions of the world, Eurosatory.
The decision was made after over 50 NGOS protested their participation of the event which hosts countries from all over the world, including China and Turkey. To take a step further, they even posted on every door that representatives of the Israeli companies or military were not allowed to be present.
However, Israel is one of the leading producers of advanced weaponry and defense systems of the world, and not inviting them was like not inviting Roger Federer to Wimbledon. The expo still displayed Israeli machinery, even without the Israelis.
After instantaneous criticism and backlash when the announcement went public, France backtracked the decision and "re-invited" Israel, who then declined the offer.
This time, Macron seems serious about the decision. Israel will take the matter to the courts where they will claim illegal discrimination.
Tensions have been raised in recent weeks between the French leader and Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Macron has called for an end to arms exports to Israel. Netanyahu personally answered him with a video message where he told him and other floundering Western leaders that Israel will win "with or without their support, but their shame will continue long after the war is won."
My message to Macron >> pic.twitter.com/BHyh0Fso19
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 5, 2024
Reportedly, Macron also provoked Netanyahu with a statement he made about the foundation of Israel as a country:
"Mr Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a decision of the U.N.," referring to the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1947 to partition Britain's Palestinian mandate into separate Jewish and Arab states.
Netanyahu was quick to set the record straight:
“A reminder to the president of France: It was not the U.N. resolution that established the State of Israel, but rather the victory achieved in the War of Independence with the blood of heroic fighters, many of whom were Holocaust survivors — including from the Vichy regime in France.”
The Euronaval Exposition will be held November 4-7 and according to their website, they will have at least thirty countries represented including the United States, China, Turkey, Colombia, Brazil, India, France, and Germany.
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