Displays by Israeli arms manufacturers at the Paris Air Show were blocked by a large black wall after organisers tried to block them from exhibiting their wares.
The Israeli Defence Ministry confirmed that Elbit Systems, Univision and Rafael had been asked not to show any offensive weapons on it stall at the event, an annual trade fair frequented by the weapons industry.
According to officials, the request came the day before the show was set to open and was conveyed on behalf of the French government.
The ministry said it had rejected the request but that, in response, event organisers had built a large black wall around the Israeli displays to block any weapons on show.
This was allegedly done overnight after the stall had been prepared and without informing the ministry or the companies in question.
The wall blocked Israeli offerings from the view of potential customers and also separated it off from the exhibits set up by firms from dozens of other countries.
According to reports, displays by manufacturers from China, Turkey and others, with only Israeli companies seemingly singled out.
In response, the Defence Ministry said: “This unilateral action was carried out in the middle of the night after Israeli defense officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays.
"This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations.
“This comes at a time when Israel is fighting a necessary and just war to eliminate the nuclear and ballistic threat facing the Middle East, Europe, and the entire world,” he pointed out.
“The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition – weapons that compete with French industries. This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies’ impressive and precise performance in Iran.”
Since the wall was erected, a section has been covered in yellow graffiti reading: “Behind these walls are the best defense systems, used by many countries.
"These systems are protecting the State of Israel these days.
"The French government, in the name of discrimination, is trying to hide them from you.”
It comes as France has seemingly become increasingly critical of Israel, particularly over its conduct of the Gaza War.
President Macron was due to announce Paris’ formal recognition of a Palestinian state at an international conference hosted jointly with Saudi Arabia this week.
However, the summit, which was set to start tomorrow in New York, has now been delayed amid rising Middle Eastern tensions as Israel clashes with Iran.
A spokesperson for the French foreing ministry said: “From the beginning, we gave clear instructions that were conveyed to the Israelis, namely: a ban on the display of offensive weapons at the Bourget exhibition.”
The ministry claimed that the Israeli embassy had agreed to these terms, but this has subsequently been denied by Israeli diplomatic sources, according to the Times of Israel.
The JC has contacted the Paris Air Show for comment.
