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| Orange's Stephane Richard tells Israel of regret over comments | Orange's Stephane Richard tells Israel of regret over comments |
| (3 days later) | |
| The head of French telecom giant Orange has said he deeply regrets the controversy following comments he made last week indicating he wanted the company to pull out of Israel. | The head of French telecom giant Orange has said he deeply regrets the controversy following comments he made last week indicating he wanted the company to pull out of Israel. |
| Orange CEO Stephane Richard went to Jerusalem and met PM Benjamin Netanyahu to "clear up the confusion". | Orange CEO Stephane Richard went to Jerusalem and met PM Benjamin Netanyahu to "clear up the confusion". |
| He had earlier said he wanted to end an agreement with an Israeli partner which operates in the occupied West Bank. | He had earlier said he wanted to end an agreement with an Israeli partner which operates in the occupied West Bank. |
| The comments were strongly criticised in Israel as supporting a boycott. | The comments were strongly criticised in Israel as supporting a boycott. |
| "It's no secret that what you said last week was interpreted by many as an attack on Israel," Mr Netanyahu told Mr Richard on Friday. | "It's no secret that what you said last week was interpreted by many as an attack on Israel," Mr Netanyahu told Mr Richard on Friday. |
| The prime minister said his government sought "real and secure peace with our neighbours the Palestinians", but that could not be achieved "by boycotts or threats of boycotts". | The prime minister said his government sought "real and secure peace with our neighbours the Palestinians", but that could not be achieved "by boycotts or threats of boycotts". |
| Reuters and the Times of Israel reported that Mr Netanyahu had instructed the Israeli ambassador to Paris not to accept a request by Mr Richard to meet in France. | Reuters and the Times of Israel reported that Mr Netanyahu had instructed the Israeli ambassador to Paris not to accept a request by Mr Richard to meet in France. |
| Mr Richard said his comments had been taken out of context. | Mr Richard said his comments had been taken out of context. |
| "I have been profoundly and personally distressed to observe the results of the misunderstanding and the distortion of my recent statements," said Mr Richard. | "I have been profoundly and personally distressed to observe the results of the misunderstanding and the distortion of my recent statements," said Mr Richard. |
| "I deeply regret the impact resulting from the context and interpretation of those statements." | "I deeply regret the impact resulting from the context and interpretation of those statements." |
| The CEO had said in a meeting in Cairo last week that he would pull out of Israel "tomorrow morning" if contracts allowed, adding it was important to build trust with Arab countries. | The CEO had said in a meeting in Cairo last week that he would pull out of Israel "tomorrow morning" if contracts allowed, adding it was important to build trust with Arab countries. |
| Partner Communications, which has a licence to use the Orange brand name, controls close to 28% of Israel's mobile market. | |
| The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign movement - that Israel says works to "delegitimise" the state of Israel - had also previously called on Orange to sever its ties with Partner because of work it carries out in settlements. | |
| Israel's settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. | Israel's settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. |
| The French government has a 13.45% stake in Orange. Last week French President Francois Hollande said he did not support a boycott of Israel and wanted to improve ties between the two countries. | The French government has a 13.45% stake in Orange. Last week French President Francois Hollande said he did not support a boycott of Israel and wanted to improve ties between the two countries. |