France has shut down the exhibits of four major Israeli defense companies at the Paris Air Show, reportedly due to the display of offensive weaponry. This decision has been criticized by Israel and underscores the growing tensions between the two traditional allies.
A source familiar with the situation informed Reuters that the directive was issued by French authorities after the Israeli firms failed to comply with a request from a French security agency to remove offensive weapons from their exhibition space.
The exhibits belonging to Elbit Systems, Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and UVision were closed. However, three smaller Israeli booths did not display active equipment, and there remained a section for the Israeli Ministry of Defense. French President Emmanuel Macron has recently clarified that while France supports Israel’s right to self-defense, this support does not extend to military strikes against Iran, which Paris does not endorse.
The Israeli Defense Ministry stated that it completely rejected the order to remove certain weapon systems from the displays and noted that the exhibition organizers responded by constructing a black barrier to separate the Israeli companies from other exhibits.
This action was taken late at night following the completion of set-up by Israeli defense officials and the companies involved. The Ministry described the decision as “shameful and unprecedented,” suggesting that it stemmed from political and commercial motivations.
Furthermore, the Ministry claimed, “The French are hiding behind supposed political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition—these are weapons that compete with French industries.” Organizers of the airshow released a statement indicating they were in discussions to “assist in reaching a positive resolution to the situation.”