The company's embarrassment started last week when its CEO, Stephane Richard, talked his mouth off in front of an Arab audience and proposed that he would, if he could, cease business with Israel. Not that he will, because he can't. But that, in a parallel universe in which he could, he would, perhaps.
Although this was less of a threat and more of a thought experiment, the comments provoked outrage. And like all BS efforts that encounter any resistance, the BSemite struck a quick retreat. The Jerusalem Post reports:
"In the space of four days, Richard allegedly supported the idea of boycotting Israel, retracted by claiming Orange would like to sever its ties with Israel on a commercial basis only, and then pulled back again by announcing how Orange “loves Israel” and that it has no intention of leaving."
Since then, France's foreign ministry, a large shareholder of the company, has condemned all boycotts against Israel. Richard tried to meet the Israeli ambassador in France but was rebuffed. Netanyahu responded: "If he wants to explain, he can come to Israel to do so."
"Please don't hurt me..."
And that is exactly what the humbled CEO is now doing: Flying to Israel to "clear up the misunderstanding." According to Algemeiner, Richard has seen the light:
“Orange does not support any form of boycott, in Israel or anywhere else in the world. … Let me make it very clear that the Orange Group is in Israel to stay,” said CEO Stephane Richard, adding that he “sincerely regrets” the recent controversy.To him and all other BSemites we say: "Booh"! That should suffice to scare them away.
