Orange telecom CEO Stephane Richard landed in Israel from France to meet with PM Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, and apologize for his recent pro-boycott remarks.

Orange telecommunications CEO Stephane Richard is on his way to Israel to apologize, after generating an international storm by stating that he wished to end business ties with the Jewish State.

Richard said last Wednesday in Cairo he wanted to cut business ties with Israel to help gain favor with the Arab world.

He subsequently backtracked, telling France’s BFM television station Monday that his decision was only a business move and he is “radically opposed to all forms of discrimination. “Israel rejected his apologies, and a furious Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Richard’s “subsequent words of admiration for Israel don’t square with his unequivocally hostile remarks in Cairo.”

Richard announced he planned to go to Israel over the weekend to speak to the nation’s leaders and clarify his statements, but the uproar in Israel has not subsided. He was forced to come to Israel after he was refused audience with Israel’s ambassador to France, whom Richard initially approached.

Thank you to United with Israel supporters

United with Israel would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who made the special effort to assist us in taking action against Orange and insisting they retract any calls for an anti-Israel boycott and clarify their statements. With the arrival in Israel of Orange CEO Stephane Richard, where he will publicly apologize for his statement, we believe we played at least a small part in making this happen with our online call to action, an effort to which many of you contributed.

Thank you.

By: United with Israel Staff