French segregates Israeli exhibit at Paris Air Show
One day before the Paris Air Show opened in Le Bourget Airport, exhibition organisers acting on behalf of the French government ordered the removal of offensive weapons systems from Israeli defence industry pavilions – breaking with standard practice at defence exhibitions worldwide.
Before and after the barrier
Following instructions from the Israel Ministry of Defence, Director General, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, the Ministry informed organisers that it categorically rejects this demand. The exhibition organisers responded by erecting a black wall that blocks the Israeli pavilions and creates segregation between the Israeli industry pavilions and dozens of other pavilions (Turkish, Chinese, and others). This unilateral action was carried out in the middle of the night after Israeli defence officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays.
A spokesperson for the Ministry said: “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.
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 the Israeli technologies’ impressive and precise performance in Iran.
The IMOD calls on the French government and exhibition organisers to reverse this ugly and improper action, remove the black segregation walls from the Israeli pavilions, and allow Israeli industries to display their systems like all other participants in the exhibition.
Israel should thank the French for their childish action. There is nothing more calculated to bring people to Israel’s exhibition than trying to hide it.