France exported €16 million worth of military equipment to Israel in 2024, according to an official document recently declassified by the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
Amid growing pressure from opposition parties and civil society organizations, Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu sought to put an end to the controversy by making the document available to the heads of the Defence Committees in both the National Assembly and the Senate.
During a hearing on Wednesday, the minister was unequivocal : “France does not sell weapons to Israel. Period.” According to Lecornu, the equipment in question is either for defensive purposes or intended for re-export, and strictly complies with France’s arms export policy.
The items listed include components for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, ammunition ejectors, ammunition belt links, and other technical parts described as non-lethal.
The disclosure comes in the wake of sharp criticism, particularly following the release of a report by the activist network Progressive International (PI), which accused France of regularly supplying equipment to Israel since October 2023.
The report referenced components associated with bombs, grenades, missiles, and military rifles, citing data from the Israeli Tax Authority.
In response, the French ministry emphasized that such parts can only be re-exported under strict conditions, with controls over their final destination.
Officials close to the minister stressed that no sales of lethal weapons were authorized.
Last year, Israel placed €19.9 million worth of arms orders with France, a relatively stable figure compared to €25.6 million in 2022 and €19.4 million in 2021.
However, a separate report highlighted a sharp rise in French exports of dual-use goods—items with both civilian and military applications—to Israel : €192 million in 2023, up from just €34 million in 2022.
These goods primarily involve electronic equipment.
The issue has also sparked social repercussions.
In Marseille, dockworkers last Friday refused to load a container bound for the Israeli port of Haifa that contained military components, citing ethical objections to the shipment’s final destination.
This controversy unfolds as several European countries reassess their stance on military exports to Israel, amid heightened diplomatic tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
By releasing this data, France aims to clarify its position and reaffirm its commitment to international humanitarian law.
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