France bans official Israeli participation at major Paris defense expo

France has once again barred official Israeli participation at the Eurosatory international defense exhibition in Paris later this month, preventing Israeli Defense Ministry representatives from attending or establishing a national pavilion at one of the world's premier defense expos.

While private Israeli defense firms will still be permitted to exhibit air defense and missile defense technologies, French authorities have banned the display of Israeli-made offensive weapons systems. The expo's website also lists Palestine among the invited participants.

The move marks the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Paris and Jerusalem and has drawn sharp criticism from Israeli officials, who argue the restrictions are politically motivated and unfairly target Israel while limiting its access to a major international defense marketplace.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Israeli official assessed the French decision as “an escalation and a worsening of French policy.” It remains unclear whether Israel will respond by boycotting the exhibition altogether.

The Israeli Defense Ministry blasted the move, describing it as “a disgraceful decision” that “reeks of political and commercial calculation.”

“Regrettably, it comes as no surprise,” the defense ministry in Tel Aviv said. “It fits a deeply troubling pattern in French conduct in recent years, a pattern that has consistently placed France on the wrong side of history."

“France, which prides itself on the values of liberty and democracy, is acting in direct contradiction to the principles it claims to uphold,” the ministry added.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry and Israel's ambassador to France have reportedly already been notified, and Jerusalem is expected to issue a formal response in the coming days.

Relations between France and Israel have steadily worsened since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

While Paris initially supported Israel's right to self-defense, French President Emmanuel Macron's government has increasingly criticized Israeli military operations against the Iranian-backed terrorist groups Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Last year, France unilaterally recognized a state of Palestine despite objections from Jerusalem, which argued that such a move rewarded Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack.

Israeli officials suggested the latest restrictions may not be driven solely by political disagreements. They note that Israeli defense companies compete directly with French firms in the global defense market.

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu rejected suggestions that France has imposed an arms embargo on Israel, arguing instead that Israel has chosen not to purchase French weapons.

“I will repeat this as many times as necessary: There are no French arms sales to Israel. There are none. But let’s tell the truth and stop calling it an ‘embargo.’ Israel is the one imposing an embargo on us. Israel does not buy French weapons because it chooses not to buy French weapons, because it does not need French weapons,” Lecornu stated.

Liron Topaz, who heads the Israeli aviation engineering company TAT, noted that France also restricted Israeli visibility at a major defense exhibition last year.

"About a year ago, the Israeli pavilions at the Paris Air Show were hidden from view, and now we are seeing a similar saga unfold once again," Topaz said.

He argued that French efforts to limit Israel's participation would ultimately backfire.

"The French government's attempts to boycott Israel by restricting its participation in the exhibition are ultimately self-defeating. Demand for Israeli defense solutions continues to grow, not decline," Topaz said.

He emphasized that international interest in Israeli technology remains strong despite political tensions.

"Leading defense organizations around the world continue to seek out Israel's innovation and unique technological capabilities. Ignoring that reality means turning away from valuable security capabilities," Topaz said.

In March, Israel reportedly halted defense exports to France amid increasingly strained diplomatic ties between the two countries.