Despite restricting Israeli defense firms, Macron flew to Syria on jet equipped with Elbit system
France has restricted Israeli defense firms, yet Macron’s jet relied on Elbit’s DIRCM system as he became the first Western leader to meet Syria’s new president and discuss regional tensions
Assessment
A discrepancy in French policy is laid bare: officials bar Israeli defense companies from a Paris trade show while the president's own aircraft depends on Israeli-made technology for protection. The flight itself carries symbolic weight, as Macron becomes the first Western leader to sit down with Syria's new president amid shifting regional alignments. The immediate question is whether Paris can reconcile its public posture of distance from Israeli defense firms with its operational dependence on them.