Israel halts defense trade with France, citing 'hostile attitude'

Israel has halted defense trade with France, three senior Israeli sources confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday morning, with the Defense Ministry later formally confirming the decision, Report informs.

Defense Minister Israel Katz and Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram formally ordered the halt, but a decision of such significance could only be made if it were also a priority for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sources told The Jerusalem Post that the decision was a result of France adopting a hostile attitude toward Israel over the last two years, forcing Israel to reevaluate how much it could trust sharing its defense products with the country.

It was unclear exactly how the decision would impact both countries, given that France has been boycotting Israeli weapons since midway through the Israel-Hamas War, and given that a source clarified that existing contracts would be honored and private companies could still make deals.

For larger deals requiring government-to-government involvement, and even for Israeli products that have only defensive characteristics, France may lose significant opportunities.

Germany and other NATO countries have been rushing to purchase Israeli air defense and other systems in response to new threats posed by Russia since Moscow began its ongoing war to try to take over Ukraine in 2022.