Israel's Ministry of Defense announced it will suspend all defense procurement from France after France declared a ban on Israeli aircraft carrying military equipment from flying through its airspace.
On 31 Mar 2026 GMT+7, a Ministry of Defense spokesperson stated in a press release that Israel "has decided to reduce defense purchases from France to zero due to measures taken by France that 'negatively impact Israel's security.' Israel will instead turn to domestic procurement or purchases from allied countries."
The statement referred to France's recognition of Palestinian statehood in September 2025 and reports that France prohibited Israeli aircraft carrying "military equipment" from flying through French airspace as among the reasons for this decision.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized France for refusing to allow aircraft carrying military equipment to fly over, claiming that France "did not cooperate significantly" throughout the war with Iran, and that the U.S. would "remember" this.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which monitors global arms transfers, reported earlier this month that France is a global leader in the arms industry, accounting for about one-tenth of worldwide arms exports during 2021–2025.
SIPRI data indicate that Israel's largest arms suppliers during the same period were the United States, Germany, and Italy, with U.S. products making up more than half of Israel's total foreign arms imports.
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Source:cnn