Visitors stand on the booth of the Israeli defense technology company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at the Eurosatory international land and airland defence and security trade fair, in Villepinte, a northern suburb of Paris, on June 13, 2022. (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
PARIS — The French government today said it would no longer allow Israeli defense firms to participate in the upcoming Eurosatory defense trade show, linking the ban to Elysee anger over Israeli actions in Gaza.
“At the request of the French authorities, Israeli companies will not be present at Eurosatory,” the French Ministry of Armed Forces said in a statement provided to Breaking Defense. The statement said “conditions” were not right to welcome the Israeli companies while French President Emmanuel Macron was calling for an end to Israeli operations in Rafah.
The ministry also echoed Macron’s “urgent” call for a cease-fire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and “full access to humanitarian aid.” France’s newswire AFP first reported the government’s move.
Macron has been increasingly critical of Israeli operations in Gaza and earlier this week bluntly said the Rafah operation “must stop.”
“There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians. I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire,” he wrote on X.
Il faut que les opérations israéliennes cessent à Rafah. pic.twitter.com/jNori2eIis
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 28, 2024
The 55-year old Eurosatory is one of the largest defense trade shows in Europe, boasting of over 1,740 exhibitors with 96 countries represented. This year’s event will run from June 17-21.
As of press time the online exhibitor list has almost 70 Israeli firms expected to participate, including major defense players like Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Systems. The Israeli Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to an off-hours request for comment.
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