Khaberni - The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced the cessation of its military purchases from France as part of enhancing "defensive autonomy and reducing dependency on foreign suppliers".
According to a statement from the ministry, on Tuesday, the decision includes freezing existing deals with French military industrial companies involving the supply of specialized components used in manufacturing various weaponry systems, despite the need for them in some technical fields.
This approach falls under a broader policy led by the ministry under Minister Yisrael Katz and General Manager Amir Bar-Am, aimed at developing local production capabilities that include various stages of weapons manufacturing. Israel has invested billions of shekels in this area recently. However, assessments indicate that achieving full independence remains difficult due to the complexity of the military industries and their international entanglements.
Data indicated that France had exported military equipment to Israel worth approximately 20 million euros annually before the war, mostly in the field of electronic components and raw materials, which is a limited percentage compared to the size of its global defense exports.
Furthermore, Paris has imposed additional restrictions on Israeli companies, including limiting their participation in arms fairs on French territory, reflecting ongoing tension in defense relations between the two countries.
