Registry · ORAN

Does Orange S.A. support Israel?

Support documentedupdated 2026-07-30

Yes — Orange S.A. has documented support for Israel on record. Every claim below links to its source.

Filed under: Tech companies · Companies that support Israel

Background

Orange is the most-searched European telecom name on this question because of a 2015 diplomatic incident. At a press event in Cairo on 3 June 2015, CEO Stéphane Richard said he would end Orange's brand-licensing deal with Israel's Partner Communications "tomorrow morning" if contracts allowed, adding that it mattered to build trust with Arab countries. Orange said the next day that it intended to terminate the arrangement. The remarks were read in Israel as backing the BDS campaign, which had been pressing Orange over Partner's activity in West Bank settlements; Orange signs were covered with Israeli flags in protest, Netanyahu attacked the company, and the French government — which holds a stake of about 13.45% in Orange — distanced itself, with President François Hollande saying he did not support a boycott of Israel. Richard flew to Jerusalem on 12 June 2015, met Netanyahu and Peres, expressed deep regret and said Orange had never supported and would never support a boycott of Israel. On 30 June 2015 the two companies agreed a framework for ending the licence, with Orange paying Partner up to about €90 million. Partner exercised its termination right in January 2016 and replaced the Orange brand with its own on 16 February 2016 — nine years before the licence was due to expire. Throughout, Orange held no shares in Partner: it was a licensor, not an owner. Orange kept its own Israeli activities (accelerator, business services, research), and today has no Israeli mobile-operator relationship.

The Guardian — Orange says it plans to terminate contract with brand partner in Israel BBC News — Orange's Stephane Richard tells Israel of regret over comments Times of Israel — Orange announces it will sever link with Israeli subsidiary Haaretz — 'Orange is in Israel to stay,' CEO says Total Telecom — Israel's Partner drops Orange brand

Timeline of documented support

1999200220052008201120141999 — Partnership: Partner Communications Company Ltd. (Rosh HaAyin, Israel)Partnership19992015 — Operations in Israel: Orange's own Israeli activities (Orange Fab IL accelerator, Orange Business Services, Viaccess-Orca, Iris Capital)Operations in Israel20152015-06 — Public statement: Israeli government (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; former President Shimon Peres)Public statement2015-062015-06 — Partnership: Partner Communications Company Ltd. (Rosh HaAyin, Israel)Partnership2015-06

Documented support

TypeDateAmountRecipientSources
Partnership1999—Partner Communications Company Ltd. (Rosh HaAyin, Israel)
From 1999 until 16 February 2016, Orange S.A. licensed the "Orange" brand to Partner Communications, one of Israel's largest mobile operators, which marketed all of its products and services under that name. The arrangement was a brand-licensing agreement only: Orange never held shares in Partner and did not operate a mobile network in Israel. The licence had originally been set to run until 2025.
Public statement2015-06-12—Israeli government (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; former President Shimon Peres)
Orange CEO Stéphane Richard flew to Jerusalem, met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former president Shimon Peres, and publicly walked back his Cairo remarks. He said he was "profoundly and personally distressed" by the misunderstanding and "deeply regret[ted] the impact" of his statements, and told Peres that "Orange as a company has never supported and will never support any kind of boycott against Israel", adding that Orange would keep doing business and keep investing in the country. This is the personal statement of the CEO on behalf of the company, not a donation or a contract.
Partnership2015-06-30—Partner Communications Company Ltd. (Rosh HaAyin, Israel)
Orange and Partner announced a new framework agreement for winding down the brand licence. Orange agreed to pay Partner €40 million from signing until completion of a joint market study, plus a further €50 million if the brand licensing agreement was terminated within 24 months — up to roughly €90 million (about $100 million) in total. Announcing it, Orange deputy CEO Pierre Louette said: "Israel is a strategically important country and we have a long term commitment to it, including our innovation activities through the Orange affiliates in Israel." The payments are contractual compensation to an Israeli company for ending a licence, not charitable giving.
Operations in Israel2015—Orange's own Israeli activities (Orange Fab IL accelerator, Orange Business Services, Viaccess-Orca, Iris Capital)
Separately from the Partner brand licence, Orange ran its own businesses in Israel and said they would stay. Orange Fab IL, a three-month accelerator for Israeli start-ups, was on its second cohort by June 2015 (graduates included LogDog, Hola, Parko and DogTV) and was directed by Orange corporate-development vice-president Jacky Abitbol, who also co-managed the Iris Capital fund; Orange Business Services and Viaccess-Orca (acquired in 2008) also operated locally. CEO Stéphane Richard told Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely that Orange "has a lasting presence in Israel" and that these businesses "are going nowhere". After the brand split, Orange still held research facilities in Israel while no longer being connected to any Israeli mobile operator.

Frequently asked questions

Did Orange S.A. donate money to Israel or Israeli causes?

We have no records of cash donations, but Orange S.A. has documented support of other kinds (Partnership, Public statement, Operations in Israel). See the records on this page.

Where does this information come from?

Every record on this page links to its source — news reports, official company statements, tax filings, or government records. 12 distinct sources are cited for Orange S.A.. Our methodology page explains the full verification process.

Sources & citations

Record last updated: 2026-07-30

Companies with documented support