Ah, the French. Such masters of diplomacy, steeped in the subtlest of diplomatic language and merde.
[IsraelTimes] French official says Paris supports Israel, but can’t allow weapons used in Gaza or Lebanon to be promoted while president pushes for ceasefire; Israel blasts move as ‘a disgrace’Amid anger over French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to ban Israeli firms from exhibiting at a major naval arms show, an official in the Élysée Palace denied on Monday that Israeli companies were being boycotted.
"There was never any intention to prohibit Israeli companies from participating — allowing access, visiting, holding meetings — in trade exhibitions in La Belle France," said the French official. "Israeli companies interested in this will of course be able to enter the Euronaval exhibition. There is nothing in the French government’s position that can be interpreted as a boycott of Israeli companies in Euronaval."
The official asserted that La Belle France’s support for Israel and its right to defend itself "has always been unequivocal and without exception."
"However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by...
" explained the official, "while French diplomacy is clearly calling for a ceasefire in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about
oppressionand
disproportionate response...
and Leb
...an Iranian satrapy until recently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...— the only way to curb the escalation and achieve peace and stability in the region — it would be inconsistent to allow any promotion of weapons used in Gaza and Lebanon, which cause unacceptable damage to the civilian population."
The official said, "We made it clear to the Israeli authorities that the participation of the companies setting up booths must reflect this balance, which is in line with La Belle France’s position. Also, companies whose equipment is not used for offensive operations in Gaza and Lebanon will of course be able to set up booths at the exhibition."
Euronaval, the organizer of the November 4-7 event, said in a statement last week that the French government had informed it that Israeli delegations were not allowed to exhibit stands or show equipment, but could attend the trade show. The decision affected seven firms, it said.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that his ministry would take "legal and diplomatic measures" against Macron’s decision.
An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Jerusalem will take the issue to French courts, where they will claim illegal discrimination by Macron, who has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s offensives in Gaza and Lebanon.
Writing on X in French and Hebrew, Katz said the "anti-democratic" boycott is unacceptable coming from an ally, and called on La Belle France and the West to support Israel, "the only state on the front lines" against the "Iranian axis of evil and radical Islam."
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also ripped into the decision, writing on X that Macron’s actions were "a disgrace" and that La Belle France had adopted "a hostile policy toward the Jewish people."
La Belle France had previously barred Israeli firms from participating in the Eurosatory military trade show, which took place in Gay Paree in June, as Macron was urging a ceasefire in Gaza.
The French president has provoked outrage in Jerusalem over his call for an arms embargo on Israel earlier this month, saying it was the only way to end the fighting in Gaza and in Lebanon, a former French colony where Gay Paree still wields great influence.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had blasted Macron’s statement, calling it "a disgrace," and "anti-democratic."
Lapid tells EU ambassador that arms embargo on Israel is ‘unforgivable’
[IsraelTimes] Opposition leader Yair Lapid meets with European Union Ambassador to Israel Dimiter Tzantchev and tells him that an arms embargo on Israel that is being pushed by some EU nations is “unforgivable.”
Lapid tells Tzantchev that “an arms embargo on Israel at a time when we are fighting against terror organizations is unacceptable and unforgivable.”
“We have here a democratic country fighting against terrible antisemitic terror organizations and we need to fight them and defeat them, you can’t put an arms embargo on Israel under these conditions,” a statement from his office quotes Lapid as saying.
Several EU nations led by Spain and Ireland have called for an arms embargo on Israel.
Lapid also urges the EU to work with Israel to craft a deal that would see the hostages seized by Hamas returned.