DUBAI: Israeli defense companies have been barred from the upcoming Dubai Airshow after a “technical review,” its organizer said on Tuesday, without providing further details, two years into the devastating Gaza war.
Registrations were withdrawn for all six Israeli defense companies that were due to take part, said Tim Hawes, managing director of Informa Markets, which organizes the show.
“The (Israeli) exhibitors that were previously coming won’t be participating,” said Hawes, on the sidelines of a press conference to announce details of the exhibition.
“There was a technical review which we do of all companies that take part in the show,” he said, adding the decision had been taken by the airshow’s technical committee. Hawes did not elaborate on the reasons for the decision. The next edition of the biennial airshow, one of the world’s biggest, takes place in November.
Israel’s inaugural participation in 2023 was overshadowed by the start of the Gaza war. Israeli defense exhibitions were empty and unstaffed at the start of the show.
The United Arab Emirates is among a handful of Arab nations with ties to Israel.
It established normal diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords in 2020.
Since then, the Gaza war has dramatically worsened Israel’s standing with its Arab neighbors.
Tuesday marks the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas that triggered the war, which has left tens of thousands dead and much of Gaza in ruins.