France Sends Arms to Israel Despite Claiming Not To, Report Finds

The French government has launched an investigation after it was accused of breaching its own pledge not to sell arms to Israel.

The revelations, first reported by French leftwing news website L’Humanitie, call into question French President Emmanuel Macron’s 2024 claims that the country does not supply arms to Israel. 

Collated by Urgence Palestine and Palestinian Youth Movement the damning report contains evidence of 35 new military equipment sales from French companies to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems between May and September 2026. The sales include parts likely to be used for cooling systems in tanks, helmet visors for helicopter and fighter jet pilots and components for drones.

Lawmaker Thomas Portes, from the leftwing France Unbowed party, accused the French government of failing to act and urged foreign affairs minister Jean-Noël Barrot to comment on the accusations in the report. 

During a debate in the National Assembly earlier this month, Barrot announced that “an investigation has been launched” and pledged that “precautionary measures have been taken pending the findings.” 

Thomas Nayla, a lawyer working with Urgence Palestine told Novara Media the announcement was “an admission of French complicity” and called for transparency. 

“Against whom are the investigations directed, and will the French state acknowledge that it does indeed export arms?” he added. 

During October 50 organisations have been taking part in a month-long series of actions against French complicity in genocide. 

Earlier this month unions and NGOs prevented a shipment of military components being loaded onto a number of planes destined for Israel by filing for an injunction, citing French restrictions on arms exports to Israel. 

“This victory demonstrates one thing: when workers organise and mobilise, they can effectively prevent companies from contributing to the arming of a genocidal war,” Tayeb Khouira, National Secretary of French trade union group Union Syndicale Solidaires, told Novara Media. 

“We have shown that we are not condemned to stand by and watch what is happening in Palestine without taking action.”