French authorities ban Israeli firms from Eurosatory 2024 Defense trade show amid Gaza conflict

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French authorities have prohibited Israeli firms from participating in a defense trade show next month in Villepinte, a northeastern suburb of Paris, according to the event organizers.

“By decision of the government authorities, there will be no stand for the Israeli defense industry at the Eurosatory 2024 fair,” a spokesperson from the Coges Exhibition announced on Friday.

Coges did not provide an explanation but the French Defense Ministry released a statement saying, “Conditions are no longer right to host Israeli companies at the Paris show, given that the French president is calling for the cessation of IDF operation in Rafah.”

The cancellation announcement came just days after an Israeli strike targeted two top Hamas terrorists in Rafah, which sparked a fire for reasons still being investigated, killing dozens of civilians. The unexplained fire triggered international outrage and protests across France.

A preliminary investigation into the strike by the IDF revealed that a stockpile of hidden weapons may have been the cause of the deadly blaze They also estimated that the small munitions used in the airstrike would not have ignited a fire on their own.

Responding to the strike, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged” and demanded an “immediate ceasefire.”

“In accordance with the president’s comments, we call for a ceasefire which will ensure the protection of the Gazan civilian population, the release of all hostages and full access to the humanitarian aid,” the statement read.

The trade show in France takes place annually and is one of the world’s largest defense fairs, with more than 1,700 firms scheduled to present to over 60,000 attendees from 150 countries.

There were 74 Israeli companies scheduled to participate and represent their products at the five-day event beginning June 17. Ten of those companies were set to feature weapons.

"We are very disappointed with the situation. There is a historic relationship of trust with our Israeli partners. This is not acceptable, but the decision was taken by the French authorities," an anonymous source from a major French defense company said, according to i24 News.

A group of activists urged Coges to avoid buying and selling weapons that could be used in what they consider to be Israeli “crimes” committed in Gaza and the West Bank.

ASER, Stop Arming Israel, Urgency Palestine and the France-Palestine Solidarity Association also warned against profits from the fair that would reinforce “the economic power of firms likely to participate in these crimes.”

Coges told AFP new the fair was “solely for the presentation of defense and security equipment… and by no means a place for deals.”

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) against Israel has gained new steam amid the ongoing war against the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza. The movement aims to delegitimize and pressure Israel, through diplomatic, financial, professional, academic and cultural means.

Protesters have called for the boycott of arms sales to the IDF and a divestment from Israeli defense companies, claiming parallels between Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza to apartheid in South Africa.

Opponents of BDS say its message is biased and divisive and prevents opportunities for dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians unless Israel is recognized as the “oppressor.”