Emmanuel Macron was labelled as a “disgrace to the French nation” by Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant after Paris banned Israeli firms from exhibiting naval equipment at the European arms trade show.
The organisers of the naval arms trade show said on Wednesday that Israeli defence firms will not be allowed to display equipment. This is the second ban of such from a major defence show this year.
Yoav Gallant said: “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 defence industries in France a second time – aids Israel’s enemies during the war.”
He also reiterated Israel’s disapproval of Macron’s calls for France to impose an arms embargo on the country.
He added: “France has adopted and is consistently implementing a hostile policy towards the Jewish people. We will continue defending our nation against enemies on seven different fronts and fighting for our future – with or without France.”
Back in May, Paris said the conditions were not right for Israeli firms to take part in the Eurosatory military trade show when President Macron was calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Euronaval, the organiser of the trade show set to take place in Paris from November 4 – 7, shared that the French government had informed it that the Israeli delegations were not allowed to display stands or show equipment but are able to attend the event.
According to the organisers, seven firms were affected by the decision.
It comes after France made efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah failed and as the Jewish state carried out more air strikes on targets in Lebanon.
On Wednesday, Israel received accusations of deliberately targeting a council meeting in an attack which killed the mayor of Nabatiyeh, a city in southern Lebanon.
Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s prime minister, “condemned the new Israeli aggression against civilians in the city of Nabatiyeh, which deliberately targeted a meeting of a municipal council.”
Israel carried out various strikes around Lebanon, killing at least 16 people in Nabatiyeh and 15 in the southern Lebanese town of Qana.
The air strikes also targeted an underground Hezbollah weapons store in Dahieh, a key stronghold for the Iran-backed group.
Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, also was hit for the first time in a week after Washing said it had “made clear that we are opposed to the campaign the way we’ve seen it conducted over the past weeks.”
The deputy chief of staff of the IDF said that Israel must keep fighting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Major General Amir Baram said: “Destroying their [Hezbollah’s] infrastructure and plans. This is what we have to do, there is no other way.”
Hezbollah also continued attacking Israel, firing 90 rockets that forced hundreds of thousands of people into bomb shelters. Iran warned it is “fully prepared for a decisive and regretful response to any adventures” by Israel.
