Israeli arms manufacturers had their booths surrounded by a large black wall at this week’s Paris Air Show, amid an escalating Middle East conflict.
A large black barrier surrounded Israeli defense industry booths on Monday morning following an order from the French government. According to Israeli officials, Paris Air Show organizers told the defense firms on Sunday evening to leave certain weapons systems off the display.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense says that the organizers gave the companies no time to remove the banned equipment, calling the decision an outrageous overstep. Additionally, Israeli defense officials implied France gave the order for commercial reasons, considering France and Israel compete in the defense industry.
The barrier surrounded the booths of Israeli Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems, with only glimpses of equipment seen from over the wall. Israeli Aerospace Industries said all Israeli companies at the show had completed the necessary paperwork to participate in the show.
“It seems these orders came from the highest levels in Paris,” Israeli Aerospace Industries CEO Boaz Levy said in a statement. “This type of behavior is not acceptable and discriminates against us as Israelis and Jewish people since all of the other participants in this Airshow do not have these limitations.”
Israel is a power player in the global defense industry, but has faced significant pushback in France for its actions in Gaza, which likely led to the black barrier. France has called for an immediate ceasefire in the region and has refused to export weapons that could be used by Israel in Gaza.
The Paris Air Show is taking place all week, and organizers said they are negotiating with the Israeli firms to ensure they can still participate.
“The companies in question are nonetheless authorized to exhibit at the Show. Dialogue is underway so that the various parties can find a favorable outcome to the situation,” Paris Air Show organizer SIAE said in a statement.
Monday’s controversy comes as Israel becomes increasingly politically isolated on the international stage. European nations have recently become comfortable calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, with the U.K., Germany, Poland, Italy and others calling for the war to end.
Israel is also engaged in a war with Iran following a preemptive strike on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities. The attacks killed several notable Iranian military leaders and led to a blistering response from Tehran, which launched dozens of missiles at Israel shortly after.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.