• Israeli arms manufacturers showcased their weapons at a UAE defence fair despite the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
• Since the UAE normalised ties with Israel, Israeli arms companies have consistently participated in Abu Dhabi’s defence exhibitions.
On Monday, Israeli arms manufacturers displayed their weapons and other products at a defence fair in the United Arab Emirates, irrespective of the ongoing 15-month horrific genocide against Palestinians.
The Israeli pavilion is positioned among major industry players at the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX) in Abu Dhabi, which runs until Friday.
“We are very pleased to be here,” remarked Boaz Levy, the president and CEO of IAI, one of the world’s 100 largest arms companies in 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
In contrast, last year, as civilian casualties in Gaza surged, the French government prohibited Israeli companies from exhibiting at the Euronaval defence trade fair. This ban was later overturned by a Paris court.
SIPRI reports that the three Israeli manufacturers featured prominently at the Abu Dhabi event achieved a record turnover of $13.6 billion in 2023, spurred by Israel’s massacre of Palestinians in Gaza. Despite this, Levy emphasised that the company continues to collaborate with regional allies.
“Of course, some of our products are there (in Gaza), but we are a company that deals with technology and providing end users with the capabilities needed in the field, and that’s what we do on a day-to-day basis,” he explained.
The UAE normalised relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, facilitated by the United States during Donald Trump’s presidency. Since then, Israeli arms manufacturer EMTAN has participated in every defence fair in Abu Dhabi.
“We work a lot with the Abraham countries,” said sales manager Ron Pollak, whose company manufactures small arms, rifles, pistols, and submachine guns. “We really, really enjoy the hospitality and the friendship we encounter here in the UAE.”
