Paris:Three French associations have petitioned an administrative court to prevent a shipment intended for the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems, arguing that France must adhere to its international law obligations.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Franco-Palestinian association NIDAL, the human rights group ASER, and JURDI, which stands for Jurists for Respect for International Law, have approached the Paris Administrative Court's emergency judge. They used an expedited procedure aimed at safeguarding fundamental freedoms in their appeal.
The legal action was triggered by reports that Mijno Precision Gearing SAS, based in Saint-Etienne, planned to send planetary gearboxes for military vehicles to Elbit Systems Land, the ground systems division of the Israeli company. Initially, the shipment was set to leave on an Air France flight on October 8 but was halted after civil society groups and trade unions raised alarms at Roissy airport.
The shipment is now rescheduled to depart from Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport on an El Al flight this Saturday. The associations’ application seeks to compel the French authorities to verify the goods' classification, reveal whether an export license has been issued, identify the end user, and suspend the shipment.
The associations emphasized that precision components produced in France should not be delivered to entities engaged solely in military activities without adequate state oversight. They highlighted the role of employees and activists in preventing the initial shipment and called on the state or, if necessary, the judge to ensure legal compliance.
They stressed that allowing the shipment to proceed could render France accountable under international law.