Proposals have been put forth by the Commission in this regard.
Coffee-smugglin' folks and blocked gun-totin' Israelis: What went down at this year's Paris Air Show
June 19, 2020, marked the grand public opening of the International Paris Air Show in Seine-Saint-Denis. However, one group of exhibitors had already withdrawn way before the gates clanked open - the Israeli defense firm, Uvision, and their compatriots like Elbit Systems, Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries, and Aeronautics. Why? Their displays were off-limits since the show's inception on June 16, courtesy of French government's black barriers unceremoniously blocking their path.
Read also our opinion piece: "Dubious dealings at Bourget: Why hosting Israeli arm companies means promoting criminal activities"
"France played its part by showing that offensive weapons have no business gracing this show," Prime Minister François Bayrou shared on June 16. He backed up his statement with the tumultuous state of Gaza, which he labeled as "morally unacceptable." Thus, a "condemnation" and "distance" loomed over Israel's actions. But, the French government had planned a different approach, having negotiations with the Israeli embassy in Paris, hoping to find a compromise that would allow Israeli defense companies to exhibit their weapons. It turns out the show's organizers knew every nook and cranny of the stands and had agreed to their installation!
The show was fixed, but France had other plans
What's the fun in a secret plot that no one gets to see? Apparently, not for France. Those Israeli companies refused to conform, and voila! The organizers constructed black walls around their booths, leaving them shut off from the whole affair.
The French government's stance? "We support Israel's defense, but we insist on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza," the French embassy spokesperson clarified. Funny thing, that same French policy didn't seem to extend to other countries, as their offensive equipment was on proud display at the show.
Israel's Ministry of Defense didn't take too kindly to this snub. They lambasted the decision as "outrageous and unprecedented," and accused France of being duplicitous, hiding behind political considerations to snub Israeli weapons from the exhibition[3][4]. The ongoing spat had roots in France's previous actions to exclude or restrict Israeli firms at defense exhibitions, all thanks to President Emmanuel Macron's criticisms of Israel's moves in Gaza and the West Bank[3].
In the end, a French court thwarted Israel's desperate appeal to lift these restrictions, further reinforcing the barriers around Israeli stands [1].
The bottom line? The 2020 Paris Air Show witnessed Israeli defense companies all tucked away, kept from displaying offensive weapons due to French political and humanitarian concerns about Israel's military activities in Gaza and regional conflicts, thereby taking a stand to restrict and bar Israeli companies from displaying weapons of conflict[1][2][3][4].
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts in Gaza, labeled as morally unacceptable by French Prime Minister François Bayrou, influenced the politics surrounding the 2020 Paris Air Show, leading to the exclusion of Israeli defense companies and their offensive weapons.
- The general news about the 2020 Paris Air Show, marked by the exclusion of Israeli defense firms due to French political and humanitarian concerns about Israel's military activities in Gaza and regional conflicts, made headlines, reflecting the show's commitment to promote peace rather than war-and-conflicts.
