France Reverses Ban on Israeli Firms at Defense Exhibition

In a swift diplomatic turnaround, French authorities have reversed a decision that would have barred Israeli companies from participating in a major defense exhibition in Paris next week.

The controversy erupted on Tuesday when reports emerged that eight Israeli defense firms had been blocked from attending the international event. The report sparked immediate backlash in Jerusalem, with officials warning of a “very harsh response” if the exclusion were not swiftly addressed.

Within hours, following urgent negotiations led by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, French officials notified Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that the ban was lifted and that all Israeli companies would be permitted to take part.

Among the companies initially excluded was a firm reportedly involved in developing advanced facial recognition software designed to identify terrorists in densely populated areas of Gaza a critical technology amid ongoing security challenges.

This incident is the latest in a series of diplomatic flare-ups between Israel and France regarding defense industry cooperation. Just months ago, in June, a French court rejected an Israeli appeal for full participation rights at a Paris arms technology conference after French authorities had secretly blocked the display of certain Israeli weapons systems.

Similarly, in October last year, Israel was excluded from participating in the Euronaval military expo due to its combat role in Gaza and Lebanon, according to reports from Kan News.

More recently, Israel faced another close call with the prestigious Eurosatory international arms fair one of the world’s largest defense exhibitions where it was nearly banned altogether before a court overturned the decision.

These recurring tensions highlight the increasingly complex landscape Israel navigates as it promotes its defense technologies abroad. While Israeli defense innovations remain among the most sought-after globally, particularly for their battlefield-tested effectiveness, political sensitivities in Europe continue to challenge their visibility in international forums.

This latest reversal in France marks a clear win for Israeli diplomacy and reaffirms the importance of standing firm in the face of selective political pressure.

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