The UK has barred Israeli government officials from DSEI 2025 over Gaza operations, though Israeli firms such as Elbit and Rafael may still attend independently.
Britain has imposed a ban on Israeli government participation at the country’s largest defence exhibition, DSEI 2025, citing Israel’s escalating military operations against Hamas in Gaza. The decision, reported by Reuters, marks one of the toughest measures London has taken against a longstanding ally.
As a result, Israel’s Defence Ministry confirmed it will not host a national pavilion, unlike in the previous fair. While Israeli officials are excluded, defence companies including Elbit Systems, Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Uvision are still permitted to exhibit individually.
A UK government spokesperson said on 29 August that the decision reflected opposition to Israel’s further escalation in Gaza. “No Israeli government delegation will be invited to DSEI 2025. This war must end through a diplomatic solution; a ceasefire must be reached, hostages released, and humanitarian aid to Gaza increased,” the spokesperson stated.
Israel denounced the move as “regrettable discrimination” and “an entirely inappropriate political stance for a professional defence industry exhibition.” The UK’s decision follows a similar step by the Netherlands, which barred Israeli participation in the upcoming NEDS exhibition in Netherlands.
France has also imposed restrictions on Israel across major events including Eurosatory, Euronaval and Le Bourget, while Spain prevented its attendance at the FEINDEF fair in Madrid. The trend underscores a growing European backlash against Israel’s defence sector amid the Gaza conflict.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
