Fabius moves to appease Israel after Netanyahu request

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has expressed Paris’ opposition to any boycott of the Tel Aviv regime as tensions rise between the two sides over plans by a French firm to withdraw its brand from Israel.

“Although it is for the president of the Orange group to determine the commercial strategy of the company, France is firmly opposed to a boycott of Israel,” Fabius said in a statement released on Friday.

The top French diplomat, however, said that the position of France and the European Union (EU) on Israel’s illegal settler units is “consistent and widely known.”

The EU and France have previously criticized the Israeli regime for its illegal settlement expansion in the Palestinian territories it has occupied since 1967.

The comments by Fabius came despite earlier guidelines by the institution under his watch against economic activities by French businesses in Israeli settlements. The guidelines were non-binding, however.

Fabius’ comments came two days after France’s partly state-owned telecom giant Orange announced plans to end its cooperation with Israeli operator Partner Communications Company over the latter’s illegal activities in the occupied Palestinian lands.

Stéphane Richard, Orange’s chief executive and chairman, said on Wednesday that his company intended to withdraw the Orange brand from Israel, adding, “It will take time… [but] for sure we will do it.”

Orange’s recent decision drew the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he called on Paris to “distance itself publicly from… the miserable action of a company that is partially owned by the government of France.”

Back in May, French aid organization Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development accused Orange of flouting the French government’s guidelines on investing in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The aid group also accused Partner of building over 100 telecommunication antennas on the occupied lands and setting up four shops in illegal settlements.

The developments come as many companies and business enterprises across the world have already ceased their activities in the occupied lands as part of a global campaign known as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS).

Over half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967. This is while much of the international community regards the Israeli settler units as illegal.

SSM/MKA/HJL

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