France had covered the offensive weapons displays of five major Israeli defense firms at the Paris Air Show on Monday after Israel declined to comply with restrictions imposed by French authorities.
According to a source cited by Politico, French authorities informed their Israeli counterparts weeks in advance that offensive weapons could not be displayed, citing concerns over Israel’s war in Gaza and rising regional tensions. The source added that Israel’s ambassador to France had agreed to these conditions.
Organizers at the Paris Air Show set up barriers around Israeli defense company booths after Israel refused a request from the French govt to hide “offensive weapons” from their display pic.twitter.com/yAROdoyvRB
— Audrey Decker (@audrey_decker9) June 16, 2025
Despite this agreement, several companies went ahead and displayed offensive weapons, leading French authorities to close the booths of Israeli firms such as Elbit Systems, Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), UVision, and Aeronautics.
Four other Israeli firms that complied with the restrictions were allowed to continue displaying their products, and the Israeli Ministry of Defense stand remained open.
Israel’s Defense Ministry called the move “outrageous and unprecedented.” It added: “The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition — weapons that compete with French industries.”
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister François Bayrou defended the decision. “The French government’s position was very simple: no offensive weapons at the arms exposition,” he stated.
“Given the situation in Gaza... which is extremely serious from a humanitarian and security point of view, France was keen to make it clear that offensive weapons should not be present at this exposition,” Bayrou added.
Earlier, NGOs petitioned to ban Israeli companies from the Paris Air Show, citing alleged involvement in “international crimes” related to the war in Gaza, but a French court rejected the petition just last week.
Israel has previously been excluded from major French defense expos, including Eurosatory and Euronaval.
The Paris Air Show, one of the world’s largest defense and aerospace events, continues through June 22 at Le Bourget in northeast Paris.
