The Israeli government has sharply criticised the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which campaigns for greater isolation of Israel and Israeli trade due to the occupation of Palestinian land, termed as illegal by the UN.
The latest attack on the movement by senior figures, including Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, comes after the UK's National Union of Students decided on Tuesday to support the BDS campaign and French telecoms giant Orange said it wants to cut business ties with Israel.
The prime minister responded angrily on Thursday, calling on "the French government to publicly repudiate the miserable statement and miserable action by a company that is under its partial ownership", AP reported.
"The absurd drama in which the democracy that observes human rights — the state of Israel — and which defends itself from barrages of missiles and terrorist tunnels, and then absorbs automatic condemnations and attempted boycotts, this absurd drama will not be forgiven," Mr Netanyahu said.
Orange's chief executive Stephane Richard said he would end his company's relationship with Partner Communications Ltd, Orange's brand in Israel, "tomorrow" if he could, but that he was bound by a contract for the time being.