June 5, 2015
Melbourne, Australia… in a letter to the French Ambassador to Australia Mr. Christophe Lecourtier, The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) has denounced the decision by French Telecommunication Company Orange to end its licensing deal with Partner Communications, an Israeli firm, and has called on French President Francois Hollande to take immediate action to overturn this contemptible and obscene boycott of Israel. In Cairo, Orange’s CEO Stéphane Richard’s said that if not for sizeable financial penalties, he would cut his company’s relationship “tomorrow” with Partner.
ADC Chairman, Dr Dvir Abramovich, issued the following statement:
“For Orange to become a subsidiary of the anti-Israel movement and to appease the international BDS campaign by pulling out of Israel only empowers those who wish to delegitimize and malign the Jewish state. Given that the French government owns 25% of Orange’s shares, President Hollande must immediately step in and state that any discriminatory decisions by French companies to single out and boycott Israel are not only illegal, but go against the country’s political, ethical and moral values. In light of Orange’s CEO Stéphane Richard’s remarks in Cairo that “I know that it is a sensitive issue here in Egypt, but not only in Egypt…We want to be one of the trustful partners of all Arab countries” we do not accept the company’s subsequent justification that this is merely about commercial concerns. We urge all governments to condemn this economic embargo and shameful assault on Israel, and to urge French President Holland to intervene and reverse this deplorable action by Orange.”
The Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272 5677
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