French authorities have officially banned Israeli defense firms from participating in the upcoming Eurosatory 2024 trade show near Paris. The decision was made without providing any specific explanation, leaving many puzzled.
Originally, 74 Israeli firms were slated to be present at the event, with a portion of them planning to exhibit weapons. However, after the recent Israeli bombing of a camp in Gaza, which resulted in the loss of 45 lives, international outrage and protests arose, leading to this ban.
In response to concerns about potential weapons sales contributing to human rights violations in Gaza, a group of activists urged the event organizers to take a stand against these possibilities. Coges, the organization behind Eurosatory, clarified that the fair is meant for equipment display, not business transactions.