French authorities shut down the four main Israeli defence industry stands at the Paris Air Show on Monday and put up black partition walls
France on Monday blocked access to the stands of four Israeli arms manufacturers at the Paris Air Show for displaying "offensive weapons", according to a French government source.
A black wall blocked off stands run by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics for showing "offensive weapons", including those used in Gaza, which allegedly violated terms made with Israel, said the source.
The stands were those being used by Elbit Systems, Rafael, IAI and Uvision. Three smaller Israeli stands, which didn't have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defence stand, remain open.
Rafael, Elbit and IAI produce guided bombs and missiles, while Uvision and Aeronautics produce drones.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the move on Monday as "outrageous" and called for it to be "immediately corrected".
The Israeli Ministry of Defence also denounced the decision in a statement, calling it a form of "segregation" against the Israeli companies.
"This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," it added.
IAI's president and CEO, Boaz Levy, said the black partition walls were reminiscent of "the dark days of when Jews were segmented from European society".
Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated".
Two US Republican politicians attending the air show also criticised the French move.
Talking to reporters outside the blacked-out Israeli defence stalls, US Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders described the decision as "pretty absurd", while Republican Senator Katie Britt criticised it as "short-sighted".
The French prime minister's office did not immediately return a request for comment.
