The United Kingdom has excluded Israeli government officials from attending the Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London next month, citing Israel’s military escalation in Gaza.
British officials confirmed that while Israeli defence companies, including Elbit Systems, Rafael, IAI and Uvision, are still permitted to exhibit, no Israeli government delegation will be invited to the biennial event at the ExCel centre from 9 September.
A UK government spokesperson said: “The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong. As a result, we can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025. 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.”
Israel’s defence ministry responded by stating it would not run its national pavilion at the show, which it has done previously, and described the ban as a “regrettable act of discrimination” that introduces “political considerations wholly inappropriate for a professional defence industry exhibition”.
The move comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to recognise a Palestinian state, after warning Israel that the UK would do so if it did not take steps to alleviate suffering in Gaza or meet other conditions. The decision echoes a dispute at the Paris air show three months ago, where France blocked Israeli defence company stands after they refused to remove attack weapons from display.
