French court overturns ban on Israeli companies from Eurosatory arms exhibition

A French Court ban on Israeli delegates, intermediaries, and companies from attending an international arms exhibition was suspended by the Commercial Court of Paris on Tuesday, according to a document shared by a lawyer involved in the case.

Attorney Patrick Klugman said on social media that the commercial court accepted the France-Israel Chamber of Commerce’s claim that the Saturday Bobigny District Court decision to prevent Israeli representation at the Eurosatory 2024 exhibition was discriminatory.

“I am very proud to have worked with my associates to set the law straight in this matter,” Klugman said on X.

Saisi en référé d’heure à heure à la demande de la Chambre de commerce France Israel, le Président du Tribunal de commerce de Paris vient de juger que la mesure d’exclusion des société israéliennes de Eurosatory est discriminatoire. Il a ordonné de la faire cesser. Je suis très… pic.twitter.com/ZQz4kJ8Ioe

— Patrick Klugman (@PKlugman) June 18, 2024

The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) and the Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) welcomed the decision.

Various Jewish groups, organizations, welcome court's ruling 

“It took a decision from the Paris Commercial Court to realize the enormity of an Israeli-free exhibit,” said UEJF.

French Politician Caroline Yadan, who had been protesting the decision to ban Israeli companies, welcomed the decision as a rejection of institutionalizing boycotts of Israel.

An appeal hearing is also set for Tuesday, according to Association France Palestine Solidarité, for the  Saturday court ruling in favor of a June 6 AFPS and Al-Haq petition to bar Israeli companies and delegates because the June 17-21 exhibition could facilitate alleged breaches of international law by the Israeli military.

AFPS on Monday called on Facebook for supporters to protest outside the Paris Court of Appeals to “keep up the pressure.”

Coges Events, which organized the Eurosatory arms exhibition, said Saturday that it would appeal the Saturday Bobigny decision, noting that it deviated from a May 31 French Defense Ministry decision not to allow an Israeli booth.

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Monday that while the executive branch of government is not supposed to comment on court decisions, the government supported Coges’ appeal.

“It cannot be ignored that this decision far exceeds the original request of the government, which never proposed such a ban,” said Lecornu.

The original court order had required the Israeli ban notice to be posted at the entrances to the exhibition, Eurosatory bemoaned on Monday on social media.

CRIF President Yonathan Arfi said on X on Monday that the order also required Israelis seeking entry to the arms expo to sign a declaration that they do not work for an Israeli defense firm.

“It is no longer just a question of banning Israeli companies from a stand, an already scandalous boycott decision, but of stigmatizing and blacklisting Israelis themselves! Obscene discrimination,” said Arfi.