French court reverses ban on Israeli firms at Paris arms show, organiser says

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PARIS (Reuters) -A French court has reversed a government ban on Israeli firms participating in next week’s Euronaval arms show near Paris, the organisers said on Thursday, confirming media reports.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The decision earlier this month to bar Israeli firms from exhibiting at the naval arms show is the latest incident in a diplomatic row fuelled by the Macron government’s unease over Israel’s conduct in the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Israeli officials called the move a “disgrace”.

KEY QUOTE

“Sogena, the company organising the Euronaval exhibition, is complying with the court’s ruling, just as it had complied with the government’s previous decision,” an Euronaval spokesperson said in e-mailed comments.

“We acknowledge this ruling and we will comply,” a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry told reporters at a briefing.

The Paris commercial court, which took the decision in a fast-tracked lawsuit, did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

CONTEXT

Organisers of the trade fair, set to take place in Paris from Nov. 4-7, said earlier this month the French government had informed them that Israeli delegations were not allowed to have exhibition stands or show equipment. The decision affected seven Israeli firms that were due to participate.

It was the second time this year that France has sought to ban Israeli firms from a major defence show.

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.

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Additional reporting by Dominique Vidalon in Paris; Editing by Ros Russell and David Holmes)