It is simply outrageous that the French government recently banned Israeli exhibitors from participating in a defense industry trade show after pro-Palestinians protested their participation. Nevermind the fact that the show, the Eurosatory, is the biggest international show for land and air-land defense and security held every other year in Paris. As Israel has always been a major military presence, it is a vital contributor, with 74 exhibitors scheduled to attend before the prohibition.
What’s even more egregious is that a French court, in deference to Palestinians, subsequently voted to ban any Israeli company from outright attending merely three days before the start of the exhibition. So not only were Israelis shut out from exhibiting, France further decided that they cannot even send representatives or employees to meet with or contact any of the exhibitors.
It has come to my attention that in early June, when the French announced the initial exhibitor ban, Representative Ogles (R-TN) introduced an NDAA amendment on this that passed by voice. It urged that the DOD and its agencies not participate in the Eurosatory this year if Israeli firms were also banned from participating. This is as far as it ever got in Congress and with the Eurosatory now underway this year, nothing more can be done.
It is heinous that the French used such a ban as a way to deter Israel from defending itself, and that our Congress knew about it and did nothing.
Congress and/or the administration MUST act to exact real consequences on France for these actions.