France blocks Israel’s offensive weapons display at major Paris defence expo PHOTO

France has blocked Israel’s offensive weapons display at one of the world’s largest weapons technology exhibitions in Paris, sparking sharp criticism from Israel’s Defence Ministry.

On June 16 morning, Israel announced that France had erected large black walls overnight to isolate and obscure the Israeli offensive weapons exhibits at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

The Defence Ministry called the action “outrageous and unprecedented,” accusing France of discriminatory treatment and unfair commercial tactics.

Defence Ministry Director-General Amir Baram said, “The exhibition organizers 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 display.”

אמש, יממה לפני פתיחת הסלון האווירי בפריז, הורו מארגני התערוכה בשם ממשלת צרפת להסיר מביתני התעשיות הביטחוניות הישראליות אמצעי לחימה התקפיים, זאת בניגוד למקובל בתערוכות ביטחוניות בעולם.

להמשך קריאה: https://t.co/ksnUTyHMxS pic.twitter.com/W2tTRtVsQv

— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) June 16, 2025

The ministry also condemned France for allegedly targeting Israeli weapons that compete with French products, describing it as a “dirty competition trick.” It added that Israel’s offensive weapons were singled out despite other countries, including China and Türkiye, facing no such restrictions.

“Last night, just one day before the Paris Air Show opened in Le Bourget Airport, exhibition organizers 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,” the ministry said.

Baram further urged France to retract the black walls, highlighting the political and commercial motives behind the decision. “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 ministry stated.

The move follows heightened tensions after Israel initiated a new conflict with Iran. Initially, France had requested Israel remove offensive weaponry from its displays, allowing only defensive technologies to be shown. The French government’s stance appears to have shifted once again from a partial boycott — after previously excluding Israel entirely from the event due to criticism over its Gaza war — to this last-minute segregation.

“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 Israeli technologies’ impressive and precise performance in Iran,” the Defense Ministry added.

By Vafa Guliyeva