French officials shut down 12 Israeli company booths on June 15 at the Eurosatory international defence trade show near Paris, which runs from June 15 to 19, 2026 [1]. The closures came after authorities determined the stands did not comply with participation conditions imposed by France [1]. French restrictions banned the display of Israeli offensive weapons at the event and limited Israeli firms to exhibiting only air defence and ballistic missile defence equipment [1].
Charles Beaudouin confirmed the impact of these measures, saying, "As a result, 12 booths had to be closed" [1]. Israel’s defence ministry said the affected companies had met the French government’s demands but that the booths were boarded up regardless [1]. Israeli ambassador to France Joshua Zarka criticized the closures as "unacceptable," adding that "France is losing a large share of this international market. And the way it is responding is by engaging in competition that is inadequate and frankly unfair" [1]. Amit Manor, CEO of Israeli firm Amit Industries, expressed surprise, saying, "I was quite surprised by the decision. The booth is closed" [1].
The 2026 restrictions represent a continuation of tensions around Israeli participation at Eurosatory. Israeli defence firms were also banned from exhibiting at the 2024 edition of the trade show [1]. The French government’s strict participation conditions and enforcement actions reflect an ongoing limitation on Israeli offensive weapon displays at this major European defence event [1].
