Israeli Defense Booths at Paris Eurosatory Exhibition Closed Overnight
Organizers of the Eurosatory 2026 International Defense Industry Exhibition in Paris closed the booths related to Israeli military industries overnight and boarded them up, preventing participants from visiting these booths. This event took place simultaneously with the official opening of the exhibition on Monday, June 15, which will continue until June 19.
Israeli media, including the website “i24NEWS,” reported that this action occurred despite Israeli companies having previously agreed, at the request of the French government, to display only “defensive” equipment. According to these media reports, the organizers blocked the booths overnight without any prior notice.
The French government had earlier prohibited the presence of official Israeli delegations and representatives at Eurosatory. The Israeli Ministry of Defense responded, describing the decision as “unfair and unexpected” and claimed the purpose was to exclude Israel’s defense industries and technologies from an international event.
These developments come as Israel’s military actions in recent years, especially its attacks and operations in the region, have faced widespread international criticism, and public pressure in Europe has intensified. Although Israeli officials emphasize that the quality of their military technology has been proven on battlefields, the closure of their booths at one of the world’s largest arms exhibitions is seen as a sign of growing diplomatic challenges for Israel.
Eurosatory is the largest global exhibition in the fields of land defense and security, held biennially in Paris. It is a primary venue for showcasing tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, drone systems, cybersecurity, and major arms contracts between armies and defense companies worldwide.
