By decision of the French authorities, the four main Israeli stands of the Bourget Fair were closed for non-compliance with security rules. A measure which arouses diplomatic tensions and challenges on the conditions of armaments exposure.
At the request of the French government, the organizers of the International Aeronautical and Espace of Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis) closed the four main stands of Israeli companies, including Elbit Systems, Rafael, IAI and Uvision.
According to a source close to the file, these closures follow the non-compliance by Israeli exhibitors of a safety instruction ordering them to withdraw certain offensive or kinetic energy equipment from their stands. The spaces concerned were partitioned using black panels, visually insulating them from other exhibitors.
Other Israeli stands of lower size, not having armaments, as well as a stand of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, remained open to the public.
In a press release, the organizers of the show said they simply applied a directive of the French authorities concerning the withdrawal of certain materials exposed. Discussions would be underway to try to resolve this diplomatic and commercial dispute.
