Companies with arms offensively used in Mideast cannot display products at trade show: French foreign minister

By Nur Asena Erturk

Israeli companies whose equipment was not used in offensive actions in Gaza and Lebanon will expose their products at next month's Euronaval trade show, the French foreign minister has said.

Amid a row between the countries’ leaders, France has reportedly banned Israeli companies from the Euronaval defense trade show, media outlets said last week.

“There has never been any question of banning the participation of Israeli companies in trade shows in France. Israeli companies, if they want, can attend Euronaval,” Jean-Noel Barrot told the lawmakers at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Barrot noted that France’s position could not be considered a “boycott” against Israeli companies, and reiterated Paris’ firm support for Israel.

He also recalled that France has decided to keep on allowing exports of components for the Iron Dome defense system.

Barrot added, however, that it would be “incoherent” to allow the presentation of arms used in Gaza and Lebanon, which cause “unacceptable” damage to civilian populations.

France called for a cease-fire in the region, Barrot recalled, and said: “We told the Israeli authorities … that the participation of companies in the form of a stand should respect that balance.”

“The companies whose equipment was not used in offensive actions in Gaza and Lebanon will naturally be able to have their stand in the show,” he explained.

Last week, sources who asked to remain anonymous told Politico and other media outlets that Israeli delegations will attend Euronaval, but that Israeli firms will not be allowed to display their products and equipment.

The alleged ban comes amid a row between French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Israel's recent attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Several peacekeepers have been injured.

Earlier this month, Macron called for halting arms shipments to Israel over its operations in Gaza and claimed that France was not sending weapons to Israel for use in Gaza.

Barrot also repeatedly called for halting arms exports to the belligerents in the region, and said it was not coherent to “call for a cease-fire while arming the belligerents.”

Macron on Tuesday reportedly told a Cabinet meeting that “Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a UN decision,” a remark that drew criticism from the Israeli premier.

Israeli companies were also barred from taking part in the International Defense and Security Fair, also known as Eurosatory, held in Paris in June.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last year.

More than 42,700 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and around 100,300 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of Gaza amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

Last month, Israel stepped up its attacks on neighboring Lebanon, despite warnings that doing so raises the risk of a larger regional war.