Israel Targets France After Trump’s Airspace Criticism Over Mideast Arms

(MENAFN) Israel’s Defense Ministry has announced retaliatory measures against France after US President Donald Trump criticized the European NATO member for denying airspace access for arms deliveries to the Middle East.

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday that France’s decision was “very unhelpful” to the US-Israeli campaign against Iran and warned that Washington “will remember” the move. The airspace restriction coincided with a broader embargo on arms sales to West Jerusalem that has been in place for over a year.

Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram told reports that he and Defense Minister Israel Katz intend to reduce dependence on foreign arms suppliers, especially from countries like France that Israel does not consider “friendly.”

In an official statement, the ministry said it “will reduce all defense procurement from France to zero” and confirmed the cancellation of a planned visit by a senior French defense official. It added that “there will be no new professional engagement with the French military.”

According to reports, Alice Rufo – deputy to the French Armed Forces Minister and a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron – had been scheduled to visit Israel on Sunday. Some sources suggest that France’s denial of airspace access followed the cancellation of Rufo’s visit. It was reportedly the first time Paris refused Israel access to arms shipments since the US-Israeli campaign against Iran began over a month ago.

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