“We are very happy about this ruling because it sends a message to all like-minded countries that boycotts are not the right approach,” said Assaf Roth, chairman and owner of Israeli company Draco Group, who was due to attend Eurosatory.
But Roe, whose company took part in the lawsuit brought by the French-Israeli Chamber of Commerce, said it was too late to send a delegation to the exhibition again.
Other cases over France’s decision to bar Israeli companies from the show are also still under review.
Pro-Palestinian groups sued, arguing that COGES events needed to take further steps to comply with the ban, arguing that some of the Israeli companies may be supplying weapons to Israeli forces fighting in Gaza. A court in Bobigny, a northern Paris suburb, agreed, ruling last week that organizers of the arms fair must exclude not only Israeli companies but also anyone acting as an intermediary or agent for Israeli companies, and ensure that exhibitors do not receive, sell or promote Israeli weapons.
The French Palestine Solidarity Association, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit, welcomed the ruling, saying: statement “It is the responsibility of all parties, political and economic, to do everything in their power to end the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people by the state of Israel.”
COGES Events, with the support of French authorities, appealed the sentence, arguing that it was far more excessive than the government had originally requested. The appeal was heard on Tuesday at the Paris Court of Appeal.
Ron Tomer, president of the Israel Manufacturers Association, one of the main Israeli groups pushing France to lift the embargo, told Kanradio on Tuesday that the incident “casts a heavy shadow over Israeli-French relations.” He said Israel’s defense industry is strong, but that the embargo has damaged Israel’s image.
“This will have far-reaching repercussions beyond the defense sector,” Tomer said.
Jonathan Rice Contributed report.
