A French court hearing the petition by Israeli defence companies against the ban on displaying offensive weapons and blocking Israeli pavilions with black walls at the Paris Air Show ruled that it lacks the authority to intervene in the French government’s decision.
Israel Ministry of Defence (IMOD) Director General, Maj Gen (Res.) Amir Baram, responded, “The French government’s decision deliberately seeks to harm Israeli defence industries. It’s regrettable and immoral to see discrimination based on extraneous considerations that mask French economic interests aimed at undermining the competition from the Israeli industry. The scandalous French decision will achieve the opposite result. Despite the French attempt to harm us, visitors, including heads of state and military leaders from around the world, flocked to the Israeli industry pavilions, proving that Israeli defence systems are more sought-after and attractive than ever. The entire world sees the exceptional achievements of Israeli systems in Iran and other arenas. Battlefield performance speaks for our products far better than any exhibition on French soil.”
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda