France shuts Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show
Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous".
The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already being held under the shadow of last week's deadly crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Black walls were installed around the stands of five Israeli defence firms at the trade fair in Le Bourget, an airfield on the outskirts of Paris.
The booths displayed "offensive weapons" that could be used in Gaza -- in violation of agreements with Israeli authorities, a French government source told AFP.
The companies -- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics -- make drones and guided bombs and missiles.
An Israeli exhibitor wrote a message in yellow chalk on one of the walls, saying the hidden defence systems "are protecting the state of Israel these days. The French government, in the name of discrimination is trying to hide them from you!"
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "outrageous" closure of the pavilions and said the situation should be "immediately corrected".
"Israeli companies have signed contracts with the organisers... it's like creating an Israeli ghetto," he said on French television channel LCI.
The Israeli defence ministry said in a statement that the "outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations".
"The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition -- weapons that compete with French industries," it said.
"This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies' impressive and precise performance in Iran."
Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, killing top commanders and scientists, prompting Tehran to hit back with a barrage of missiles.
The presence of Israeli firms at Le Bourget, though smaller than in the past, was already a source of tension before the start of the Paris Air Show, because of the conflict in Gaza.
A French court last week rejected a bid by NGOs to ban Israeli companies from Le Bourget over concerns about "international crimes".
Local lawmakers from the Seine-Saint-Denis department hosting the event were absent during French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's visit to the opening of the air show in protest over the Israeli presence.
"Never has the world been so disrupted and destabilised," Bayrou said at a roundtable event, urging nations to tackle challenges "together, not against each other".
- Boeing 'focus on supporting customers' -
The row over Israel cast a shadow over a trade fair that is usually dominated by displays of the aerospace industry's latest flying wonders, and big orders for plane makers Airbus and Boeing.
Airbus announced an order of 30 single-aisle A320neo jets and 10 A350F freighters by Saudi aircraft leasing firm AviLease.
The European manufacturer also said Riyadh Air was buying 25 long-range, wide-body A350-1000 jets.
But Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg last week cancelled plans to attend the biennial event, to focus on the investigation of the Air India crash.
"Our focus is on supporting our customers, rather than announcing orders at this air show," a Boeing spokeswoman told AFP on Monday.
The London-bound Dreamliner crashed shortly after take off in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew and another 38 on the ground. One passenger survived.
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Herald Sun
6 hours ago
- Herald Sun
France shuts Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous". The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already under the shadow of last week's deadly crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Black walls were installed around the stands of five Israeli defence firms at the trade fair in Le Bourget, an airfield on the outskirts of Paris. The booths displayed "offensive weapons" that could be used in Gaza -- in violation of agreements with Israeli authorities, a French government source told AFP. The companies -- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics -- make drones and guided bombs and missiles. An Israeli exhibitor wrote a message in yellow chalk on one of the walls, saying the hidden defence systems "are protecting the state of Israel these days. The French government, in the name of discrimination is trying to hide them from you!" French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou defended the decision during a Monday press conference at the air show. "The French government's position was very simple: no offensive weapons at the arms exposition," he said. "Defensive weapons were perfectly acceptable," he added. - Conflicts loom large - Bayrou cited the ongoing conflict in Gaza as the rationale behind the ban. "Given the situation in Gaza... which is extremely serious from a humanitarian and security point of view, France was keen to make it clear that offensive weapons should not be present at this exposition," Bayrou said. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "outrageous" closure of the pavilions and said the situation should be "immediately corrected". "Israeli companies have signed contracts with the organisers... it's like creating an Israeli ghetto," he said on French television channel LCI. The Israeli defence ministry said in a statement that the "outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations". "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition -- weapons that compete with French industries," it said. "This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies' impressive and precise performance in Iran." Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, killing top commanders and scientists, prompting Tehran to hit back with a barrage of missiles. The presence of Israeli firms at Le Bourget, though smaller than in the past, was already a source of tension before the start of the Paris Air Show, because of the conflict in Gaza. A French court last week rejected a bid by NGOs to ban Israeli companies from Le Bourget over concerns about "international crimes". Local lawmakers from the Seine-Saint-Denis department hosting the event were absent during Bayrou's visit to the opening of the air show in protest over the Israeli presence. "Never has the world been so disrupted and destabilised," Bayrou said earlier at a roundtable event, urging nations to tackle challenges "together, not against each other". - Boeing 'focus on supporting customers' - The row over Israel cast a shadow over a trade fair that is usually dominated by displays of the aerospace industry's latest flying wonders, and big orders for plane makers Airbus and Boeing. Airbus announced an order of 30 single-aisle A320neo jets and 10 A350F freighters by Saudi aircraft leasing firm AviLease. The European manufacturer also said Riyadh Air was buying 25 long-range, wide-body A350-1000 jets. But Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg last week cancelled plans to attend the biennial event, to focus on the investigation of the Air India crash. "Our focus is on supporting our customers, rather than announcing orders at this air show," a Boeing spokeswoman told AFP on Monday. The London-bound Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew and another 38 on the ground. One passenger survived. neo-mra-are/lth-ekf/jh/kjm Originally published as France shuts Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
France shuts Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show
Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous". The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already being held under the shadow of last week's deadly crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Black walls were installed around the stands of five Israeli defence firms at the trade fair in Le Bourget, an airfield on the outskirts of Paris. The booths displayed "offensive weapons" that could be used in Gaza -- in violation of agreements with Israeli authorities, a French government source told AFP. The companies -- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics -- make drones and guided bombs and missiles. An Israeli exhibitor wrote a message in yellow chalk on one of the walls, saying the hidden defence systems "are protecting the state of Israel these days. The French government, in the name of discrimination is trying to hide them from you!" Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "outrageous" closure of the pavilions and said the situation should be "immediately corrected". "Israeli companies have signed contracts with the organisers... it's like creating an Israeli ghetto," he said on French television channel LCI. The Israeli defence ministry said in a statement that the "outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations". "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition -- weapons that compete with French industries," it said. "This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies' impressive and precise performance in Iran." Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, killing top commanders and scientists, prompting Tehran to hit back with a barrage of missiles. The presence of Israeli firms at Le Bourget, though smaller than in the past, was already a source of tension before the start of the Paris Air Show, because of the conflict in Gaza. A French court last week rejected a bid by NGOs to ban Israeli companies from Le Bourget over concerns about "international crimes". Local lawmakers from the Seine-Saint-Denis department hosting the event were absent during French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's visit to the opening of the air show in protest over the Israeli presence. "Never has the world been so disrupted and destabilised," Bayrou said at a roundtable event, urging nations to tackle challenges "together, not against each other". - Boeing 'focus on supporting customers' - The row over Israel cast a shadow over a trade fair that is usually dominated by displays of the aerospace industry's latest flying wonders, and big orders for plane makers Airbus and Boeing. Airbus announced an order of 30 single-aisle A320neo jets and 10 A350F freighters by Saudi aircraft leasing firm AviLease. The European manufacturer also said Riyadh Air was buying 25 long-range, wide-body A350-1000 jets. But Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg last week cancelled plans to attend the biennial event, to focus on the investigation of the Air India crash. "Our focus is on supporting our customers, rather than announcing orders at this air show," a Boeing spokeswoman told AFP on Monday. The London-bound Dreamliner crashed shortly after take off in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew and another 38 on the ground. One passenger survived.
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Israel fumes as France nixes weapons stands at airshow
France has shut down the four main Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for apparently displaying bombs and other offensive weapons, in a move condemned by Israel that highlights the growing tensions between the traditional allies. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday that the instruction came from French authorities after Israeli firms failed to comply with a direction from a French security agency to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands. The stands were being used by Elbit Systems , Rafael, IAI and Uvision. Three smaller Israeli stands, which didn't have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defence stand, remain open. France, a long-time Israeli ally, has gradually hardened its position on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu over its actions in Gaza and military interventions abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron made a distinction last week between Israel's right to protect itself, which France supports and could take part in, and strikes on Iran it did not recommend. Israel's defence ministry said it had categorically rejected the order to remove some weapons systems from displays, and that exhibition organisers responded by erecting a black wall that separated the Israeli industry pavilions from others. This action, it added, was carried out in the middle of the night after Israeli defence officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays. "This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," the ministry said in a statement. Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated," adding it fully supported the Israeli ministry of defence's decision not to comply with the order to remove some equipment from display. France has shut down the four main Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for apparently displaying bombs and other offensive weapons, in a move condemned by Israel that highlights the growing tensions between the traditional allies. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday that the instruction came from French authorities after Israeli firms failed to comply with a direction from a French security agency to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands. The stands were being used by Elbit Systems , Rafael, IAI and Uvision. Three smaller Israeli stands, which didn't have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defence stand, remain open. France, a long-time Israeli ally, has gradually hardened its position on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu over its actions in Gaza and military interventions abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron made a distinction last week between Israel's right to protect itself, which France supports and could take part in, and strikes on Iran it did not recommend. Israel's defence ministry said it had categorically rejected the order to remove some weapons systems from displays, and that exhibition organisers responded by erecting a black wall that separated the Israeli industry pavilions from others. This action, it added, was carried out in the middle of the night after Israeli defence officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays. "This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," the ministry said in a statement. Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated," adding it fully supported the Israeli ministry of defence's decision not to comply with the order to remove some equipment from display. France has shut down the four main Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for apparently displaying bombs and other offensive weapons, in a move condemned by Israel that highlights the growing tensions between the traditional allies. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday that the instruction came from French authorities after Israeli firms failed to comply with a direction from a French security agency to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands. The stands were being used by Elbit Systems , Rafael, IAI and Uvision. Three smaller Israeli stands, which didn't have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defence stand, remain open. France, a long-time Israeli ally, has gradually hardened its position on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu over its actions in Gaza and military interventions abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron made a distinction last week between Israel's right to protect itself, which France supports and could take part in, and strikes on Iran it did not recommend. Israel's defence ministry said it had categorically rejected the order to remove some weapons systems from displays, and that exhibition organisers responded by erecting a black wall that separated the Israeli industry pavilions from others. This action, it added, was carried out in the middle of the night after Israeli defence officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays. "This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," the ministry said in a statement. Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated," adding it fully supported the Israeli ministry of defence's decision not to comply with the order to remove some equipment from display. France has shut down the four main Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for apparently displaying bombs and other offensive weapons, in a move condemned by Israel that highlights the growing tensions between the traditional allies. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday that the instruction came from French authorities after Israeli firms failed to comply with a direction from a French security agency to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands. The stands were being used by Elbit Systems , Rafael, IAI and Uvision. Three smaller Israeli stands, which didn't have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defence stand, remain open. France, a long-time Israeli ally, has gradually hardened its position on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu over its actions in Gaza and military interventions abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron made a distinction last week between Israel's right to protect itself, which France supports and could take part in, and strikes on Iran it did not recommend. Israel's defence ministry said it had categorically rejected the order to remove some weapons systems from displays, and that exhibition organisers responded by erecting a black wall that separated the Israeli industry pavilions from others. This action, it added, was carried out in the middle of the night after Israeli defence officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays. "This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," the ministry said in a statement. Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated," adding it fully supported the Israeli ministry of defence's decision not to comply with the order to remove some equipment from display.
