Britain bans Israeli officials from key defense industry show
Aug. 29 (UPI) — Britain barred Israeli government and military officials from taking part in its flagship international defense and security event in September as London stepped up pressure on Israel over its military offensive to capture and occupy Gaza City.
Israel is normally one of the main exhibitors at the biannual Defense and Security Equipment International conference, but the Ministry of Defense said Thursday that Israeli government officials had not been invited to the event, which runs Sept. 9 through Sept. 12 at the Excel exhibition and convention center in London’s Docklands.
“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong. As a result, we can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025,” a Ministry of Defense spokesman told Politico.
“There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate cease-fire, the return of the hostages and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”
The ban does not extend to private Israeli arms manufacturers, but their presence at DSEI — which is run by a private British company but with major backing from the government and armed forces — was expected to trigger large public demonstrations outside the venue.
Israel criticized the move as discriminatory and, accusing Britain of politicizing the global defense sector, said it would abandon plans for the large pavilion it usually sponsors at the conference, but stressed it fully supported domestic firms opting to exhibit at DSEI.
“These restrictions amount to a deliberate and regrettable act of discrimination against Israel’s representatives,” the Israel Ministry of Defense wrote in a social media post.”
“At a time when Israel is engaged on multiple fronts against Islamist extremists and terrorist organisations — forces that also threaten the West and international shipping lanes — this decision by Britain plays into the hands of extremists, grants legitimacy to terrorism, and introduces political considerations wholly inappropriate for a professional defense industry exhibition,” said the ministry.
The ban follows a standoff at the Paris Air Show in June, when the organizers draped black sheeting over the stands of some Israeli defense firms exhibiting at the event at the request of the French government after the Israeli defense ministry failed to observe a ban on arms designed for offensive purposes.
Britain has been gradually stepping up diplomatic and legal pressure on Israel in recent months over the conduct of its military operation in Gaza, including imposing restrictions on some arms sales.
In July, Britain announced it would recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel did not agree to a cease-fire by then.
In June, it joined Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in sanctioning far-right Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinians.”
Britain suspended arms export licenses in September for around 10% of British-made weapons and military equipment destined for Israel after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government determined there was a “clear risk” of Israel using the arms in ways that would breach international law.
The ban on 30 out of 350 categories of equipment and goods included military aircraft, helicopter and drone components, as well as ground targeting equipment.
However, the block did not extend to parts for F-35 joint-strike fighter flown by Israeli forces in combat missions over Gaza that Britain supplies into a pool as part of a multi-country support program for the American-made F-35 — except where they went directly to Israel.
Senior ministers in Starmer’s cabinet insisted at the time that Britain remained a “staunch ally” of Israel, defended the timing, which came just days after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, and insisted it would not undermine Israel’s security.
