Hamas atrocities shadow Annual Franco-Israeli business dinner

The Annual Franco-Israeli business dinner took place in Paris amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. This event, which brings together prominent business figures from both France and Israel, as well as longstanding French corporate supporters, is typically not newsworthy on its own. However, Henri Cukierman, president of the Chambre de Commerce France Israel (CCFI), addressed the unspoken question of the evening from the start: why is this dinner different? Cukierman opened the evening by acknowledging the devastating loss of life in Israel due to the recent attack, comparing it to the tragic events of the Bataclan attack in Paris and the September 11 attacks in the US. He emphasized the need for a long-term approach to the conflict and expressed concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. A moment of silence was held in honor of the victims before guest speaker Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, took the stage. Cukierman later revealed that the Israeli business figures who were invited did not attend, likely due to the recent attack. However, the number of French attendees increased, indicating a determination to carry on with business affairs despite the circumstances. Pouyanné expressed solidarity with Israel, citing Total’s involvement in the region through offshore oil rigs. The event also recognized several French companies for their contributions to the bilateral business relationship with Israel. Despite this, France still trails behind Great Britain and Germany in business relations with Israel. Cukierman highlighted the exception of cybersecurity, an area where the CCFI has successfully organized an annual forum. The evening ended on a somber note, with the ongoing conflict and the captivity of hostages in Gaza weighing heavily on the attendees’ minds. Ariane Tamir, who had lost family members in the attack, shared her story and called for support in rescuing the hostages. The emotional event also featured Chloé Ghnassia, who spoke about the loss of her brother, an IDF soldier fighting in the conflict. The dinner served as a platform to raise awareness and garner support for those affected by the conflict, with the hope of involving French diplomacy in resolving the situation.



Source link