Jerusalem--The boss of French telecoms giant Orange flew in to Israel Thursday on a mission to soothe anger over a row sparked by plans to withdraw the brand from the Jewish state.
Two Israeli officials confirmed Stephane Richard had landed at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv shortly before 1100 GMT, with the company saying he would meet with officials and Orange staff during his two-day visit.
He was later photographed by AFP on a visit to a company lab in Tel Aviv, where he was seen trying on a pair of hi-tech goggles.
An official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the Israeli premier would meet Richard on Friday.
Orange said Richard wanted to "clarify the misunderstanding" sparked by his remarks during a news conference in Cairo on June 3 in which he said the firm was planning to withdraw its brand from Israel at the earliest possible opportunity.
Orange is not a telecoms operator in Israel but licences its name and logo for use by local firm Partner Communications under an agreement due to run until 2025.
At another company facility in an industrial zone east of Tel Aviv, a billboard displaying the Orange logo had been covered by a massive Israeli flag, in a sign of the tension created by the row.
Richard's comments in Cairo were interpreted in Israel as a response to a report by a group of NGOs which accused Orange of indirectly supporting settlement activity through its brand licensing agreement with Partner.
Partner operates in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law and widely opposed by the international community.
Israel reacted furiously to Richard's comments, accusing him of bowing to a Palestinian-led boycott campaign.
But Richard insisted there was no political motivation, and that the decision was solely driven by Orange's brand strategy.
AFP
