A Parisian court ruled that Israeli companies will be allowed to participate in the French Euronaval exhibition on Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz congratulated the Israeli petitioners in the French court for “the significant victory” in a post on X/Twitter.
He called French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to exclude Israeli companies from the French Euronaval exhibition “undemocratic and unjust.”
ברכות לעותרים הישראלים לבית המשפט בצרפת על הניצחון הגדול מול ההחלטה הלא דמוקרטית והלא צודקת של נשיא צרפת מקרון למנוע את השתתפותן של חברות ישראליות בתערוכת יורונייבל, החלטה שהתקבלה בין היתר גם לאחר מאמצים משפטיים ודיפלומטיים של משרד החוץ. זהו ניצחון חשוב לצדק ומסר ברור נגד…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) October 30, 2024
“This is an important victory for justice and a clear message against attempts to weaken Israel in its fight against forces of evil,” the foreign minister noted.
The Manufacturer’s Association of Israel (MAI) announced on X on Monday that it had filed a joint petition with Israel Shipyards and the France-Israel Chamber of Commerce the previous week against the organizers of the Euronaval exhibition for barring Israelis from entry.
“This decision by the French government directly hinders Israeli companies’ ability to participate and compete in the European defense market,” MAI stated.
הגשנו עתירה נגד מנהלי תערוכת יורונאבל הצרפתית שאסרה כניסת ישראלים!אנו יחד עם מספנות ישראל ולשכת המסחר צרפת-ישראל הגשנו בשבוע שעבר עתירה בעקבות החלטת ממשלת צרפת לאסור על השתתפות חברות ישראליות בתערוכה הביטחונית הימית. החלטת ממשלת צרפת פוגעת באופן ישיר באפשרויות של החברות pic.twitter.com/QMTpQewJTf
— התאחדות התעשיינים (@Industry_il) October 28, 2024
“On behalf of the State of Israel and the entire Jewish people, we want to send a clear and decisive message with this petition that we are done turning the other cheek when attempts are made to boycott us, even if it is ‘only’ a business-related harm.
We stand by these companies and will use every legal means at our disposal to ensure their right to participate and succeed in the international market, especially during these challenging times,” MAI President Dr. Ron Tomer said.
France had banned 12 Israeli firms from the exhibition.
France had banned 12 Israeli firms from the exhibition
Earlier in October, France had banned 12 Israeli firms that partook in combat in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon from participating in the military exhibit.
Globes reported that Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, and SIBAT, the International Defense Cooperation Directorate at Israel’s Defense Ministry, were among the banned companies.
Approximately 300 companies from 30 countries, including Turkey, the US, Germany, Brazil, Finland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, Colombia, Denmark, and Greece, are expected to attend the exhibition in 2024.
Early in October, Macron said that shipments of arms used in the conflict in Gaza should be stopped as part of a broader effort to find a political solution.
“I think the priority today is to get back to a political solution (and) that arms used to fight in Gaza are halted. France doesn’t ship any,” Macron told France Inter radio.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
