Paris Air Show seals off Israeli pavilions with black walls over ‘offensive weapons’
Defence firms decry ‘discrimination after being blocked overnight; CEO likens move to ‘segregation of Jews’
Israeli defence companies were walled off without warning at the Paris Air Show on Monday, after French authorities ordered the closure of their pavilions over claims they were displaying “offensive weapons”.
In a decision slammed by Israel’s Defence Ministry as “ugly and improper”, black partitions were erected overnight around the stands of five major firms – Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Elbit Systems, Uvision and Aeronautics – barring public access just hours before the aerospace exhibition opened at Le Bourget.
“The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons… that compete with French industries,” the ministry said in a statement.
Boaz Levy, president and CEO of IAI, said the Israeli delegation was blindsided after receiving full authorisation to participate. “Last night, after our booth was set up and ready for the show, we were asked to remove some of our systems,” Levy said. “We tried to negotiate with them, but it seems these orders came from the highest levels in Paris.”
“When we arrived this morning, we were shocked to find black walls built overnight, which reminds us of the darker days when Jews were segmented from European society,” he added. “As the son of a Holocaust survivor, I am very disturbed… this discriminates against us as Israelis and Jewish people.”
French official François Bayrou defended the decision at a press conference, saying: “The French government’s position was very simple: no offensive weapons at the exposition. Defensive weapons were perfectly acceptable.”
He cited the “extremely serious” situation in Gaza as justification, echoing past French efforts to curb Israeli weapons exports and exhibition access – attempts which have been previously struck down by French courts.
A French government source told AFP that the companies violated agreements by showing systems that could be used in Gaza. The affected firms produce drones, missiles, and guided munitions.
Riot police were deployed to guard the sealed-off area, where Israeli staff had written messages of protest on the black walls, including: “Behind these walls are the best defence systems used by many countries… The French government, in the name of discrimination, is trying to hide them from you!”
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Amir Baram, Director General of Israel’s Defence Ministry, described the act as “blatant and crude”. “It’s not only about policy. It’s exclusion for business reasons. In my view, it is entirely antisemitic.”
President Isaac Herzog called the move “outrageous” and said it should be “immediately corrected”. “It’s like creating an Israeli ghetto,” he said in an interview on French TV channel LCI.
The Paris Air Show, held every two years, is one of the most significant global defence and aerospace events. In January, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said French President Emmanuel Macron had confirmed that Israeli companies would be permitted to attend.
But Macron’s administration has faced repeated criticism from Israeli officials. In October, then-defence minister Yoav Gallant called French efforts to bar Israeli firms from a separate arms fair “a disgrace to the French nation”.
Rafael, one of the affected firms, said in a statement: “This action is discriminatory, unprecedented, and contrary to the principles of partnership that international exhibitions are meant to uphold.”
“This attempt to silence or sideline our presence does not diminish our relevance – it only underscores the growing impact of our technologies and values.”
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