UK bars Israeli gov’t officials from DSEI defense exhibition

The British government has decided to restrict the official participation of Israeli government and military representatives at the DSEI UK 2025 defense industry exhibition in London from September 9-12, in protest at Israel’s expansion of the fighting in Gaza. In response Israel’s Ministry of Defense decided to cancel plans to set up a national pavilion at the exhibition but has said that companies that choose to attend will receive the full support required.

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Israel’s Ministry of Defense said, “This is a harmful and disgraceful measure deliberately taken against Israeli officials. This decision is being made at a time when the State of Israel is at war on several fronts simultaneously against extremist Islamic elements that also threaten Western countries and international shipping lanes. In doing so, Britain is choosing a move that serves the extremists, legitimizes terrorism, and is made for political considerations that go beyond the professional and accepted framework of defense exhibitions around the world.”

As “Globes” reported last week, the organizers of the biggest Dutch defense exhibition NEDS will not allow Israeli defense companies to participate in this year’s event because of the war in Gaza. This is an annual event in which Israel’s largest defense companies like Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have participated in for years.

Previously, France has tried to restrict the participation of Israeli defense companies in three major exhibitions – Eurosatory, Euronaval and the Paris Air Show in June, where the French organizers built a wall around the pavilions of Israeli companies.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on August 28, 2025.

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.