Israel Matzav

Orange CEO 'apologizes' but they're leaving anyway

The CEO of French international cell phone company Orange has apologized for anti-Israel remarks that he made in Egypt on Wednesday. This is from the first link.

“I spoke with the CEO of Orange, Stephane Richard, and I told him that the people of Israel are angered and hurt by his statements,” Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom wrote on his Facebook page. “I told him how it saddened me that he had turned into a tool in the struggle against Israel and that he had lent a hand to the assault by Israel-haters who are trying to harm Israel not just militarily but economically.”

“Richard apologized for his remarks that he made during a conference in Egypt and told me that he is a friend of Israel,” Shalom wrote. “He claimed that his comments were not properly understood  and that he spoke only about the economic aspect [of his decision].”

“He apologized on behalf of himself and the company for the remarks, and he said that they condemn all forms of boycotts,” the deputy prime minister wrote.

But Orange isn't staying here (and their brand name is worthless here anyway).

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius sought to calm a row with Israel on Friday, saying France opposed any boycott of the Jewish state but stressing that Orange, which plans to end its license deal there, was free to define its own policy.

"While it is up to the president of the Orange group to define the commercial strategy of its company, France is firmly opposed to any boycott of Israel," he said in a statement.

And the apology is not much of an apology.

"Moreover, the position of France and the European Union on settlements is consistent and widely known." France in June 2014 issued a warning to French investors that investments in Israeli settlement areas carried legal risks, a move which already raised concerns in Israel.

Look for the BDS'ers to claim victory. 

Shabbat Shalom everyone.

Labels: BDS, cell phone, French anti-Semitism, Orange

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:08 PM