The rift between Israel and its long-term ally Britain continues to widen over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as a major arms exhibition in London opens on Tuesday without the presence of Israeli government officials.
Under pressure on the domestic front, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration excluded Israeli officials from the four-day event, but it has allowed 51 Israeli defence companies to attend the major arms exhibition.
The decision to permit Israeli defence companies to participate is expected to trigger strong backlash from pro-Palestinian supporters. Fears of confrontation between Israeli companies and protesters are high as the IDF continues bombing Gaza.
State-owned Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries will also showcase their work, making Israel the fifth-largest national contingent after the UK, the United States, Australia and Germany.
Also Read : IDF orders full evacuation of Gaza City
Emily Apple, spokesperson for the Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: “Israeli companies exhibiting should be investigated for crimes against humanity, not invited to profit from the unspeakable devastation they have caused in Gaza.”
Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in August that no Israeli government officials had been invited to the event, as they “continue to escalate the situation in Gaza”. Israel later expressed dissatisfaction over its officials being excluded from the London defence expo.
Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is due in London on Tuesday for a three-day official visit “to show solidarity with the Jewish community, which is under severe attack and facing a wave of antisemitism,” his office said on Monday.
This marks the second such event where Israeli officials have been blocked from attending arms expos. Earlier, Paris banned several Israeli arms manufacturers from the Paris Air Show for displaying what it described as “offensive weapons”.
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