In a move that Israel's defense ministry called "outrageous," black partition walls were erected Monday around Israeli weapons industry booths at the Paris Air Show—the world's largest aviation trade fair. French authorities said exhibitors including Elbit System, Rafael, IAI, and Univision had refused to remove attack weapons, including those that could be used in Gaza, from display, reports Reuters. "From the outset, we have provided a clear framework, which has been shared with the Israelis," the French Foreign Ministry told AFP "Namely: the prohibition of exhibiting offensive weapons at the Paris Air Show. The Israeli embassy in Paris has agreed to this."
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said the decision was made "given the situation in the region, the extreme tensions ... given France's diplomatic choices, notably concern about Gaza,'' per the AP. Authorities said Israeli firms were still allowed to display defensive weapons and aviation technology at the show and some smaller Israeli stands remained accessible.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the move was like "creating an Israeli ghetto," Le Monde reports. Other Israeli officials accused France of acting not out of concern about the conflicts in Gaza and Iran, but out of a desire to stifle competition for French firms. "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition—weapons that compete with French industries," said Israel's defense ministry, which plans to challenge the decision in court. The air show, which is held every second year, runs until Friday. (More Paris Air Show stories.)
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