Israel halts defense trade with France, sources tell 'Post'

Key Points:

• Israel has officially halted defense trade with France, a decision confirmed by the Israeli Defense Ministry and driven by France's increasingly hostile stance toward Israel over the past two years.
• The move follows France's suspension of Israeli weapons purchases since mid-2024, restrictions on Israeli defense companies' participation in French arms fairs, and France's pressure on Israel regarding conflicts with Gaza, Hezbollah, and Iran.
• Despite tensions, France has cooperated with Israel on intelligence and helped enforce nuclear sanctions on Iran, but recent French actions, including blocking munitions flights over its airspace, have led Israel to seek defense procurement from domestic sources and allied countries.
• Israel's Defense Ministry criticized France for undermining security cooperation and prioritizing political considerations over Western security, signaling no future military engagement with France and emphasizing Israel's goal of full defense autonomy.
• Former US President Donald Trump publicly condemned France's stance, accusing it of being unhelpful in the conflict with Iran and vowing that the US would remember France's actions.