Israel’s foreign minister announced plans to pursue “legal and diplomatic actions” against French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to bar Israeli companies from exhibiting at an arms fair in Paris next month.
Israel Katz condemned the “boycott,” calling it an anti-democratic move that was “unacceptable, particularly between friendly countries.” Katz did not specify the measures being considered, and the French government did not immediately provide a response.
The organizers of Euronaval Salon, a naval defense exhibition set for November 4-7, confirmed that following a French government decision, Israeli companies would not be permitted to have stands or displays, although representatives could still attend.
Tensions between France and Israel have escalated since earlier this month when Macron called for an arms embargo to halt weapon supplies fueling the conflict in Gaza.
Macron’s call for a weapons ban, which appeared to be aimed primarily at the United States, sparked a strong reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who condemned the move, saying, “Shame on them,” targeting Macron and other Western leaders advocating for an embargo.
Shortly after Netanyahu’s comments, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also called for an arms embargo, expressing outrage over Israeli strikes on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
Netanyahu further criticized Macron over remarks attributed to the French president concerning the establishment of Israel. Sources cited by Agence France-Presse claimed Macron told his ministers that Netanyahu “should not forget that Israel’s creation was a result of a UN decision,” referencing the 1947 United Nations resolution to partition Palestine.
Netanyahu accused Macron of “misrepresenting history,” asserting that Israel’s founding resulted from the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, rather than a UN mandate.
Following domestic backlash in France, Macron attributed the controversy to “unprofessionalism” among officials and the media, insisting his statements had been misrepresented. At a press conference after an EU summit, he remarked, “I say enough about the Middle East situation not to need a ventriloquist.”
