No delegation from the Israeli government will be invited to DSEI UK 2025, according to a statement released by the ministry of defense on Friday.
One of the largest arms trade shows in the world is the biennial exhibition, which runs from September 9 through September 12.
Following Israel’s severe restrictions on supplies of humanitarian aid, the United Nations’ ban on exporting weapons to Israel, the freezing of free trade negotiations, and sanctions against two far-right Israeli ministers for the assault on Gaza, where famine has already begun, has led to the suspension of London’s action.
The Israeli government’s move to increase its military presence in Gaza is wrong, according to a British statement. A ceasefire, the return of the hostages, and a surge in humanitarian aid must be the result of “this war now,” according to the statement.
Despite a partial suspension by the Israeli government in September of last year, a report released in May discovered that British companies have continued to export military equipment to Israel.
Israeli defense companies will be able to participate in the event without a government pavilion or official presence.
The defense ministry of Israel said it would completely withdraw from the exhibition after calling the action “a deliberate and regrettable act of discrimination.”
According to Israeli media, the British government claimed that if Israel “upheld international law in the occupied Palestinian territories,” the ban could be lifted.
The action comes as Israel is being put under increased pressure from Europe because of its ongoing conflict with Gaza.
Israeli arms manufacturers were prohibited from displaying “offensive weapons” at the Paris Air Show in May by France.
At a meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday, the European Union’s foreign ministers will discuss further sanctions against Israel, with Sweden and the Netherlands leading the charge for tougher measures.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a tougher stance toward Israel by promising to recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel rejects a truce and commits to end its occupation.
Senior delegations and private arms contractors are traditionally the main attendees at the DSEI arms fair.
According to Palestinian health authorities, more than 62,600 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in its nearly two-year occupation of Gaza, with at least 157,600 of them seriously injured.
Source: Aljazeera
Leave a Reply