France bars Israel from Eurosatory defense expo in Paris
Israeli Defense Ministry says decision blocks national pavilion and restricts participation of government and industry representatives.
France has barred the official participation of the State of Israel in the upcoming Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, the Israeli Ministry of Defense said, marking a significant escalation in tensions between Jerusalem and Paris over Israel’s presence in international defense forums.
According to the Defense Ministry, French authorities informed Israel that it will not be permitted to establish a national pavilion at the event and that Israeli government representatives are banned from participating.
The decision also restricts Israeli defense companies, which will not be allowed to present offensive weapons at the exhibition. Only air-defense-related products will be permitted under the French guidelines.
Israel sharply condemned the move, calling it discriminatory and “unequally applied compared to other industries,” and said it runs counter to established norms governing international defense exhibitions.
The Defense Ministry further said the decision “exudes political and commercial considerations,” and argued that it reflects a broader pattern in French policy in recent years that has placed France “on the wrong side of history.”
France, which positions itself as a defender of democratic values and free trade, is in fact acting in contradiction to those principles, the ministry said, adding that the move appears designed to exclude Israeli defense technologies despite their proven operational performance.
Israeli officials also stressed that the country’s defense systems have demonstrated “exceptional effectiveness” in combat environments against terrorist organizations and hostile regimes, contributing not only to Israel’s security but also to broader regional stability.
Eurosatory, held in Paris, is one of the world’s largest defense and security exhibitions and a key global platform for military technology companies and government delegations.
The French decision comes amid rising diplomatic friction between Israel and several European countries, where defense cooperation and participation in military exhibitions have increasingly become politically sensitive.
Israel’s defense industry has faced growing uncertainty in Europe in recent months, as governments reassess military cooperation amid the ongoing war in Gaza and broader regional tensions.
The latest move is expected to further strain already fragile defense and diplomatic channels between Israel and France, both of which have historically maintained limited but strategically significant security ties.
