Israel’s Defence Minister, on Wednesday, called French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to ban Israeli firms from exhibiting at a naval arms show “a disgrace” and accused Paris of implementing a hostile policy towards the Jewish people, Reuters reports.
The decision to bar Israeli firms is the latest incident in a row fuelled by the Macron government’s unease over Israel’s conduct in the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
It came after French efforts to secure a truce in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon foundered and as Israel carries out more air strikes on targets in the country.
“French President Macron’s actions are a disgrace to the French nation and the values of the free world, which he claims to uphold,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant posted on X.
“France has adopted, and is consistently implementing, a hostile policy towards the Jewish people. We will continue defending our nation against enemies on 7 different fronts, and fighting for our future – with or without France.”
READ: France bars Israel military firms from naval trade show amid growing diplomatic tensions
French officials have repeatedly said that Paris is committed to Israel’s security and point out that its military helped defend Israel after Iranian attacks in April and earlier this month.
Euronaval, organiser of the event set to take place in Paris from 4-7 November, said in a statement that the French government had informed it on Tuesday 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.
It is the second time this year that France has banned Israeli firms from a major defence show. In May, France said conditions were not right for Israel to participate in the Eurosatory military trade show when Macron was calling for Israel to cease operations in Gaza.
Diplomatic sparring
Israeli forces have carried out numerous air strikes and a ground incursion targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, causing substantial civilian casualties and leading Western allies, including France, to call for an immediate ceasefire.
Diplomatic sparring between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Macron has increased in recent weeks after Paris had worked with Washington to secure a 21-day truce that would then open the door to negotiations on a long-term diplomatic solution.
Believing Israel had agreed the terms, France and the United States were caught by surprise when the next day Israel launched strikes that assassinated Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Netanyahu has rejected a unilateral ceasefire that fails to stop Hezbollah rearming and regrouping.
Macron has recently irked Netanyahu several times, notably as United Nations’ peacekeeping forces have been caught in Israeli crossfire in southern Lebanon.
He has called for an end to the supply to Israel of offensive weapons used in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed and a humanitarian crisis has unfolded in a year of warfare against Hamas fighters.
On Tuesday, Macron told a cabinet meeting that Netanyahu should not forget that Israel was created by a UN decision, according to a French official.
Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, sought to downplay the comments, saying they had been general remarks reminding Israel of the importance of respecting the UN charter.
But Netanyahu’s office said in response that Israel was established through “the War of Independence with the blood of our heroic fighters, many of whom were Holocaust survivors, including from the Vichy regime in France” – referring to the French government that had collaborated with Nazi Germany.
READ: Macron condemns Israel’s ‘indiscriminate’ air strikes in Lebanon and Gaza