The French government has decided to exclude Israeli companies from participating in the Eurosatory defense exhibition, which will take place in Paris from June 17-21. The reason for this decision was not explicitly stated by the organizing company, Coges, but the French Ministry of Defense cited Israel’s failure to comply with President Emmanuel Macron’s request to cease fighting in Rafah as the cause.
The decision comes after calls from various organizations to prevent the display of Israeli weaponry at the event. This action follows similar moves by other countries, such as Chile’s decision to exclude Israel from the FIDAE 2024 air show. Despite the ban, larger companies are expected to participate in Eurosatory, as it remains an important event for the defense industry.
Israel is waiting for an official statement from the exhibition management following the French government’s announcement. Around 74 Israeli companies had registered for the exhibition, with ten of them planning to showcase weapons. Despite the ban, a list of Israeli companies that were set to present at the event can still be found on the exhibition website, including Elbit, Aerospace Industry, Rafael and more.
The young president of Chile made a similar decision earlier this year when he banned Israeli participation in their national air show due to his anti-Israel stance. In contrast, Turkish companies were prominently present at that event. Rotem Mi-Tal CEO of Asgard Systems expressed disappointment with this decision noting that Israel and Russia are only two countries prohibited from attending this year’s event raising concerns about diversity and inclusivity in defense industry exhibitions.
This move has sparked controversy both within France and internationally with some seeing it as a gesture of solidarity with Palestine while others view it as an act of discrimination against Israel.
It remains unclear how many other countries will follow suit and what impact this decision will have on future events such as Eurosatory or FIDAE 2024.
