At arm's length: the French expel Israel from the arms exhibition – and the government remains silent

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone on Tuesday. Since late last week, when the first reports emerged of the French “authorities’ decision” to cancel the participation of 64 Israeli defense companies in the Eurosatory arms show to be held later this month in Paris, top industry officials are counting on Netanyahu’s intervention in the crisis.

They believed that such a conversation would overturn the “decision of the French authorities” and allow them to participate in the prestigious and respected exhibition and save them from the humiliation and treatment reserved for pariah states. After all, most of the objects they wanted to display in the exhibition were already sent to France a few weeks ago, from models of the aerospace industry’s Arrow missiles to Elbit’s ATMOS cannon Systems.

French President Emmanuel Macron; Right: David's sling system.

At the end of the meeting with Macron, Netanyahu’s office announced that it had informed the French president of the details of the plan to release the hostages and stressed that it allowed Israel to achieve all of its war objectives, including ‘elimination. of Hamas.

Has Netanyahu discussed with Macron the French boycott of Israeli defense companies which excludes them in an unprecedented way from the prestigious exhibition? Did the Prime Minister ask the French President to separate politics from business and reverse his decision? Did Netanyahu ask Macron and he answered no? Netanyahu’s office is not saying.

On the same day as the meeting between the two heads of state, the Ministry of Defense received an official and definitive announcement from France concerning the cancellation of Israel’s participation in Eurosatory. Even senior ministry officials will remain in Israel, treated as if they were a country like North Korea, Iran, Russia or Syria.

Defense industry leaders must accept the humiliating action of the French. Those who deal in weapons, which are inherently deadly, are not used to being pampered. Their main concern is copycats. They fear that other countries, emboldened by France’s stance, will follow suit, as Chile did in April, barring Israel from an exhibition addressing Latin America’s security needs.

Next month the Farnborough exhibition will take place in London. Despite opposition from British pro-Palestinian activists to Israeli actions in Gaza, there is no indication of a similar boycott. One of the main advantages of participating in international arms exhibitions is access to purchasing and planning officials from various countries and militaries, thereby fostering a series of business meetings that can lead to substantial agreements.

After their exclusion from Paris, Israeli industry representatives are scrambling to hold these crucial meetings at the ongoing ILA Berlin trade show and next month in London.

Senior security officials say that despite tough measures taken by France, motivated by the conflict and its expansion in Rafah, Israeli weapons remain highly sought after in an increasingly armed world. They denounce France’s actions as hypocritical.

Several years ago, when France was looking for a system to protect former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s planes from shoulder-fired missiles, it turned to Israel. Yet today, the same company they relied on faces boycotts and disgrace on the world stage.

Before Israeli defense industry leaders criticize France’s position, they must first address domestic issues. Aside from the Prime Minister’s Office’s silence on the boycott, the Defense Ministry has made no official statement. The Foreign Ministry has also remained silent, treating the crisis affecting Israeli businesses as if it were no problem.

Two weeks ago, Foreign Minister Israel Katz met with French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné in Paris. Yet the subsequent report failed to mention the Eurosatory crisis or the status of Israeli defense companies around the world, although Israeli leaders boasted of their burgeoning order books less than a year ago in response to a pessimistic report from Moody’s.

Last week, Netanyahu was interviewed in French on the TF1 channel, praising Israel’s triumph in Gaza in the name of European peace. Some speculate that Netanyahu’s decision to speak directly to the French people, bypassing Macron, was the final blow to Israeli participation in Eurosatory. Indeed, information surfaced the next day in France announcing the cancellation of the defense industry delegations.

The wind from Paris has been blowing against Israeli companies since last March. Calcalist previously reported that the French Defense Ministry imposes unusual obstacles on companies wishing to participate in Eurosatory, requiring them to obtain special licenses.

MK Sharon Nir (Israel Beitenu) and a third of her colleagues petitioned the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, chaired by Yuli Edelstein (Likud), to discuss the issue. Nearly three months have passed without any such discussion. This week, following France’s actions, Nir contacted Edelstein again, hoping for a change of heart.

“France’s decision is unprecedented and has a direct impact on the status of Israeli defense industries worldwide,” Nir wrote to Edelstein. “Israel and its companies cannot afford to see their position diminished, and this issue must be addressed immediately.”

Whether or not the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee meets on the French boycott, it may already be too late. Israeli industry officials do not rule out the possibility that France will capitalize on the Gaza conflict to weaken Israeli competitors, as the main rivals vie for lucrative arms contracts around the world.

A year ago, as Israel and Germany negotiated a major Arrow 3 missile defense deal worth more than 14 billion shekels ($4 million), Macron voiced his opposition. The system, scheduled for delivery to Germany next year, aims to protect Europe from ballistic missiles in the context of the Russian conflict in Ukraine.

In talks with European defense ministers and NATO chiefs, Macron criticized the deal between Germany and Israel, arguing for European adoption of the SAMPT defense system from the Franco-Italian company MBDA. He reiterated this sentiment at the Paris Air Show a few weeks later.

However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was not perturbed by Macron’s objections and the Arrow deal went ahead as planned. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), responsible for developing and manufacturing the defense missiles, has ramped up production to meet Germany’s tight deadlines.

It’s no wonder that aerospace industry leaders, including President Amir Peretz, paraded through the ILA show in Berlin this week looking like brides and grooms on their wedding day.