Latest news with #Rafael
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Israeli arms firm Rafael threatens to sue France over Paris Air Show shutdown
PARIS — The Israeli weapons company Rafael has announced plans to sue the French government after its stand at the Paris Air Show was abruptly shut down due to Israel's campaign in Gaza. Since Monday morning, four Israeli stands, including Rafael, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and UVision, have been hidden behind black wooden panels. French authorities determined that 'offensive weapons equipment marketed by the firms could not be exhibited, given the situation in Gaza.' Rafael, Elbit, and IAI produce guided bombs and missiles while UVision manufactures drones. Faced with the companies' refusal to remove the equipment, the booths were fenced off during the night from Sunday to Monday. 'This morning, an official from the fair came over and told me that if I would remove some of the equipment, then he would tear down these walls. And I told him, I will not remove anything. You had enough time to make the decision, but you decided to act in the dark of night,' said Shlomo Toaff, Executive Vice President at were seen on Tuesday morning adding further barricades to seal off the entrance to one of the booths, as no agreement was reached between Israeli manufacturers and the show's a heavy security presence was seen patrolling the cordoned-off area on Tuesday.'I assure you that we will sue the French government for what they have done to us,' Toaff told Euronews.'We are going to sue them for causing financial damage, for not giving us access to the property that we had rented. We think this is an unjust decision. We're not getting equal rights like the other exhibitors," he Rafael representative told Euronews they rented the booth a year in advance and submitted blueprints months ago. Their equipment cleared French customs about a month prior to the exhibition, they claim.'We invested a lot of money in getting this booth and a lot of effort in preparing for it. I can't tell you the exact cost, but we're talking millions of euros," said authorities say the firms displayed 'offensive' weapons in violation of the pre-agreed framework with the Israeli government.'France considers that this is a terrible situation for the Gazans, a situation from a human and humanitarian point of view, from a security point of view, extremely heavy,' French Prime Minister François Bayrou told reporters on Monday after inaugurating the show.'France wanted to demonstrate that offensive weapons should not be present in this show.'The Israeli Ministry of Defence condemned 'this scandalous and unprecedented decision' in a press release published on Monday.'I was totally disappointed,' said Sasson Meshar, Senior VP for Airborne Electro-Optics Systems at Elbit. 'We invested a lot of money in the exhibition.''We don't understand the logic of the decision, because, from our perspective, it's discrimination, because everybody around is showing the same systems. It's a defense, military system, and that's what we are showing. We are not all here for some kind of flower exhibition.''We will consult with legal advisors, and we will follow their advice, and we'll consider our next stages later on,' Meshar said, evading the question of whether Elbit is considering following Rafael in the isn't the first time Israeli arms manufacturers have faced restrictions at French defence initially being banned from the Eurosatory exhibition in spring 2024, they were later allowed to attend Euronaval last fall following a court June 10, a Paris court rejected a request by several associations to ban Israeli companies from this year's Paris Air 2025 edition is taking place against the backdrop of intensifying diplomatic tensions between Paris and Tel is facing intense criticism over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip, launched in response to the 2023 Hamas attack. The death toll in Gaza is estimated to exceed 55,000 according to the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry. More than 1,800 Israelis have been killed as a result of the fighting. — Euronews
Euronews
3 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Israel's Rafael threatens to sue France over Paris Air Show shutdown
The Israeli weapons company Rafael has announced plans to sue the French government after its stand at the Paris Air Show was abruptly shut down due to Israel's campaign in Gaza. Since Monday morning, four Israeli stands, including Rafael, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and UVision, have been hidden behind black wooden panels. French authorities determined that 'offensive weapons equipment marketed by the firms could not be exhibited, given the situation in Gaza.' Rafael, Elbit, and IAI produce guided bombs and missiles while UVision manufactures drones. Faced with the companies' refusal to remove the equipment, the booths were fenced off during the night from Sunday to Monday. 'This morning, an official from the fair came over and told me that if I would remove some of the equipment, then he would tear down these walls. And I told him, I will not remove anything. You had enough time to make the decision, but you decided to act in the dark of night,' said Shlomo Toaff, Executive Vice President at Rafael. Technicians were seen on Tuesday morning adding further barricades to seal off the entrance to one of the booths, as no agreement was reached between Israeli manufacturers and the show's organisers. Meanwhile, a heavy security presence was seen patrolling the cordoned-off area on Tuesday. 'I assure you that we will sue the French government for what they have done to us,' Toaff told Euronews. 'We are going to sue them for causing financial damage, for not giving us access to the property that we had rented. We think this is an unjust decision. We're not getting equal rights like the other exhibitors," he said. The Rafael representative told Euronews they rented the booth a year in advance and submitted blueprints months ago. Their equipment cleared French customs about a month prior to the exhibition, they claim. 'We invested a lot of money in getting this booth and a lot of effort in preparing for it. I can't tell you the exact cost, but we're talking millions of euros," said Toaff. French authorities say the firms displayed 'offensive' weapons in violation of the pre-agreed framework with the Israeli government. 'France considers that this is a terrible situation for the Gazans, a situation from a human and humanitarian point of view, from a security point of view, extremely heavy,' French Prime Minister François Bayrou told reporters on Monday after inaugurating the show. 'France wanted to demonstrate that offensive weapons should not be present in this show.' The Israeli Ministry of Defence condemned 'this scandalous and unprecedented decision' in a press release published on Monday. 'I was totally disappointed,' said Sasson Meshar, Senior VP for Airborne Electro-Optics Systems at Elbit. 'We invested a lot of money in the exhibition.' 'We don't understand the logic of the decision, because from our perspective, it's discrimination, because everybody around is showing the same systems. It's a defence, military system, and that's what we are showing. We are not all here for some kind of flower exhibition.' 'We will consult with legal advisors, and we will follow their advice, and we'll consider our next stages later on,' Meshar said, evading the question of whether Elbit is considering following Rafael in the lawsuit. This isn't the first time Israeli arms manufacturers have faced restrictions at French defence shows. After initially being banned from the Eurosatory exhibition in spring 2024, they were later allowed to attend Euronaval last fall following a court ruling. On June 10, a Paris court rejected a request by several associations to ban Israeli companies from this year's Paris Air Show. The 2025 edition is taking place against the backdrop of intensifying diplomatic tensions between Paris and Tel Aviv. Israel is facing intense criticism over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip, launched in response to the 2023 Hamas attack. The death toll in Gaza is estimated to exceed 55,000 according to the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry. More than 1,800 Israelis have been killed as a result of the fighting.
Gulf Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
France shuts Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show
Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous." The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already under the shadow of last week's deadly crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Black walls were installed around the stands of five Israeli defence firms at the trade fair in Le Bourget, an airfield on the outskirts of Paris. The booths displayed "offensive weapons" that could be used in Gaza — in violation of agreements with Israeli authorities, a French government source told AFP. A security personnel works to hide a graffiti reading "Behind these walls are the best defence systems used by many systems are protecting the state of Israel these days. The French government, in the name of discrimination is trying to hide them from you!," on a panel of the Israeli Pavillon during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at the Paris豊e Bourget Airport. AFP The companies — Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics — make drones and guided bombs and missiles. An Israeli exhibitor wrote a message in yellow chalk on one of the walls, saying the hidden defence systems "are protecting the state of Israel these days. The French government, in the name of discrimination is trying to hide them from you!" French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou defended the decision during a Monday press conference at the air show. "The French government's position was very simple: no offensive weapons at the arms exposition," he said. "Defensive weapons were perfectly acceptable," he added. Conflicts loom large Bayrou cited the ongoing conflict in Gaza as the rationale behind the ban. "Given the situation in Gaza... which is extremely serious from a humanitarian and security point of view, France was keen to make it clear that offensive weapons should not be present at this exposition," Bayrou said. Riot police officers patrol by the blocked Rafael stand and Israeli pavilions at the Paris Air Show. AP Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "outrageous" closure of the pavilions and said the situation should be "immediately corrected." "Israeli companies have signed contracts with the organisers... it's like creating an Israeli ghetto," he said on French television channel LCI. The Israeli defence ministry said in a statement that the "outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations." "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition — weapons that compete with French industries," it said. Workers put a white canvas over a black wall that blocks the Israeli pavilions and that has been erected at the Paris Air Show. AP "This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies' impressive and precise performance in Iran." Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, killing top commanders and scientists, prompting Tehran to hit back with a barrage of missiles. Agence France-Presse
AsiaOne
4 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Israel furious as France shuts weapons stands at Paris Airshow, World News
PARIS/JERUSALEM — France shut down the main Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow on Monday (June 16) for refusing to remove attack weapons from display, sparking a furious response from Israel and inflaming tensions between the traditional allies. Stands including those of Elbit Systems, Rafael, IAI and Uvision were blocked off with black partitions before the start of the world's biggest aviation trade fair. Smaller Israeli stands, which did not have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defence stand, remained open. France, a long-time Israeli ally, has gradually hardened its position on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu over its actions in Gaza and military interventions abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron made a distinction last week between Israel's right to protect itself, which France supports and could take part in, and strikes on Iran it did not recommend. The office of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said it had told all exhibitors ahead of the show that offensive weapons would be prohibited from display and that Israel's embassy in Paris had agreed to this. It added that the companies could resume their exhibits if they complied with this requirement. Bayrou told reporters that given France's diplomatic stance, and "in particular its... very great concern about Gaza", the government had felt it unacceptable for attack weapons to be on show. But Israel's defence ministry reacted with fury. "This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," it said in a statement. "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition — weapons that compete with French industries." The ministry later added it was filing court petitions against the decision. IAI's president and CEO, Boaz Levy, said the black partitions were reminiscent of "the dark days of when Jews were segmented from European society". "Off guard" Responding to France's timeline on the incident, a source familiar with the Israeli side said the French had agreed to a pre-submitted list of items from the Israelis before the show. Israel's delegation was caught "completely off guard" by guidelines at 6.30pm on the eve of the show, the source added. 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". Meshar Sasson, senior vice president at Elbit Systems, accused France of trying to stymie competition, pointing to a series of contracts that Elbit has won in Europe. "If you cannot beat them in technology, just hide them right? That's what it is because there's no other explanation," he said. Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated". The diplomatic row rocked the opening of the biennial show, already in sombre mood after the crash of a Boeing 787 and fresh conflict in the Middle East, with announcements scaled back. Every two years, Le Bourget airport is transformed into a showcase for the aerospace and defence industries — its sprawling tarmac lined with fighter jets, airliners and drones and its spacious halls hosting high-tech gadgetry and weapons. A person involved in the organising and budgeting of large company displays over many years — not connected to the French or Israelis — told Reuters that a large stand could cost up to US$5 million (S$6 million) including all the cost of freight and staff travel. The air show's organiser said in a statement that it was in talks to try to help "the various parties find a favourable outcome to the situation". Bayrou's office urged Israeli firms to "assume their responsibilities" and follow guidelines if they wanted to reopen their booths. Towards the end of the first day of the June 16 to 20 event, there was no immediate sign of the stands being reopened. [[nid:719114]]
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Israel furious as France shuts weapons stands at Paris Air Show
France shut down the main Israeli company stands at the International Paris Air Show on Monday for refusing to remove attack weapons from display, sparking a furious response from Israel and inflaming tensions between the traditional allies. Stands including those of Elbit Systems, Rafael, IAI and Uvision were blocked off with black partitions before the start of the world's biggest aviation trade fair. Smaller Israeli stands, which did not have hardware on display, and an Israeli Ministry of Defense stand, remained open. France, a long-time Israeli ally, has gradually hardened its position on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over its actions in the Gaza Strip and military interventions abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron made a distinction last week between Israel's right to protect itself, which France supports and could take part in, and strikes on Iran it did not recommend. The office of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said it had told all exhibitors ahead of the show that offensive weapons would be prohibited from display and that Israel's embassy in Paris had agreed to this. It added that the companies could resume their exhibits if they complied with this requirement. Bayrou told reporters that given France's diplomatic stance, and "in particular its ... very great concern about Gaza," the government had felt it unacceptable for attack weapons to be on show. But Israel's defense ministry reacted with fury. "This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations," it said in a statement. "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition — weapons that compete with French industries." The ministry later added it was filing court petitions against the decision. IAI's president and CEO, Boaz Levy, said the black partitions were reminiscent of "the dark days of when Jews were segmented from European society." Responding to France's timeline on the incident, a source familiar with the Israeli side said the French had agreed to a pre-submitted list of items from the Israelis before the show. Israel's delegation was caught "completely off guard" by guidelines at 6:30 p.m. on the eve of the show, the source added. Two U.S. Republican politicians attending the air show also criticized the French move. Talking to reporters outside the blacked-out Israeli defense stalls, U.S. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders described the decision as "pretty absurd," while Republican Sen. Katie Britt criticized it as "short-sighted." Meshar Sasson, senior vice president at Elbit Systems, accused France of trying to stymie competition, pointing to a series of contracts that Elbit has won in Europe. "If you cannot beat them in technology, just hide them right? That's what it is because there's no other explanation," he said. Rafael described the French move as "unprecedented, unjustified, and politically motivated." The diplomatic row rocked the opening of the biennial show, already in sombre mood after the crash of a Boeing 787 and fresh conflict in the Middle East, with announcements scaled back. Every two years, Le Bourget airport is transformed into a showcase for the aerospace and defense industries — its sprawling tarmac lined with fighter jets, airliners and drones and its spacious halls hosting high-tech gadgetry and weapons. A person involved in the organizing and budgeting of large company displays over many years — not connected to the French or Israelis — said that a large stand could cost up to $5 million including all the cost of freight and staff travel. The air show's organizer said in a statement that it was in talks to try to help "the various parties find a favourable outcome to the situation." Bayrou's office urged Israeli firms to "assume their responsibilities" and follow guidelines if they wanted to reopen their booths. Toward the end of the first day of the June 16-20 event, there was no immediate sign of the stands being reopened.
