Hawzah News Agency- “The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong. As a result, we can confirm that no Israeli delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025'', a government spokesperson told CNN.
Israel has previously commanded a large presence at the Defense and Security Equipment International exhibition, which brings together governments, militaries and the arms industry for a four-day conference in the UK capital every other year.
Removing Israel from the arms expo is the latest in a series of steps taken by the British government aimed at pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wind down his war in Gaza and agree to a ceasefire with Hamas.
Along with the leaders of France and Canada, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to recognize a Palestinian state during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. That summit opens on September 9 – the same day as DSEI in London – and runs until the end of the month.
Unlike France and Canada, however, Starmer made British recognition of a Palestinian state conditional on Israel’s actions. Starmer said the UK will recognize Palestinian statehood in September unless Israel addresses the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, agrees a ceasefire with Hamas and commits to a “long-term sustainable peace” and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Justifying its decision to bar Israeli officials from DSEI, the UK government spokesperson said: “There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate ceasefire, the return of the hostages and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza''.
In June, France shut down stands for major Israeli arms companies, including Elbit Systems and Rafael, at the Paris Airshow – the world’s biggest aviation trade fair – for refusing to remove attack weapons from display.
Despite efforts by several European countries to put diplomatic pressure on Israel , Europe has continued to purchase arms from Israel. In August, Elbit Systems announced it had signed a $1.6 billion contract to deliver a range of defense solutions to an unnamed European country.
Source: CNN
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