France Blocks Israeli Weapons Displays at Paris Air Show Amid Rising Tensions

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

PARIS — The French government has barred Israeli defense companies from displaying offensive weapons at the Paris Air Show, prompting sharp backlash from Israel and sparking fresh diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Organizers, acting on what Israeli officials called “political instructions,” covered Israeli exhibition booths — including those of major defense contractor Elbit Systems — with black partitions just hours before the event opened at Le Bourget Airport. The move physically isolated Israeli participants from other international exhibitors, including those from China and Turkiye.

Israel’s Defense Ministry strongly condemned the action, calling it “outrageous and unprecedented.” The ministry claimed the exclusion was politically motivated, aimed at damaging the competitiveness of Israeli companies in the global defense market.

“This is a hostile step taken under pressure from pro-Palestinian elements and contradicts the principles of fair international trade,” the ministry said in a statement.

Adding to the controversy, pro-Palestinian activists staged a symbolic protest against Elbit Systems by erecting a black wall in front of its display. The protest, which remained peaceful, criticized the company’s alleged involvement in supplying weapons used in Israeli operations in Gaza.

The activists accused Elbit of profiting from the Gaza conflict and contributing to human rights abuses, further intensifying scrutiny of Israel’s defense exports during the international exhibition.

The Paris Air Show, a prestigious global defense and aerospace event, has become an unexpected stage for political and human rights debates amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. France’s decision to censor Israeli arms displays follows mounting international calls to halt weapons sales to active conflict zones.

While Israeli officials protested the decision as discriminatory, French authorities have yet to issue a formal explanation. Analysts suggest that geopolitical pressure, humanitarian concerns, and France’s desire to maintain diplomatic neutrality may have played a role.

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