Israel says it won’t participate in upcoming UK weapons show after Defense Ministry officials barred from taking part

By Stav Levaton

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and ToI Staff 29 August 2025, 9:16 am

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Visitors look at rifles during the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) fair at the ExCeL centre, in London, on September 12, 2023. (Daniel Leal/AFP)

The Israeli Defense Ministry announces it will not participate in the upcoming DSEI UK 2025 defense exhibition in London, which takes place next month, after the British government decided to restrict the official participation of Israeli government and military representatives.

The “harmful and disgraceful” move was directly targeted at Israeli representatives, the Defense Ministry charges. As a result, Israel will not establish a national pavilion at the exhibition, though Israeli defense industries that choose to attend will still receive full ministry support.

The ministry criticizes the decision as a political step that “serves extremists, grants legitimacy to terror, and is driven by political considerations that fall outside the professional and customary framework of international defense exhibitions.”

The decision to restrict the Defense Ministry’s participation in the event was first reported yesterday by Politico. The outlet cited a spokesman for the UK government, who confirmed that Israel’s plans to expand the fighting in the Gaza Strip and capture Gaza City had led to the decision.

Unnamed government officials told Politico that Israeli arms companies would be allowed to participate as normal, however, and that large protests should be expected in the area of the conference as a result.