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Israeli defense companies have been barred from the upcoming Dubai Airshow after a "technical review", its organizer said Tuesday, without providing further details, two years into the devastating Gaza war, Agence France-Presse (AFP ) reported.
The Dubai Airshow 2025 is regarded as a global platform for innovation in the aviation industry.
Scheduled to take place on Nov. 17-21 at Al Maktoum International Airport, the event will host over 1,500 exhibitors from 150 countries and showcase more than 200 aircraft.
It will also feature 12 event tracks with the participation of more than 350 expert speakers.
Registrations were withdrawn for all six Israeli defense companies that were due to take part, said Tim Hawes, managing director of Informa Markets, which organizes the show.
"The (Israeli) exhibitors that were previously coming won't be participating," said Hawes, on the sidelines of a press conference to announce details of the exhibition.
"There was a technical review which we do of all companies that take part in the show," he said, adding the decision had been taken by the airshow's technical committee.
Hawes did not elaborate on the reasons for the decision.
Israeli companies made their first-ever appearance at the show in 2021, showcasing their hardware following the normalization of diplomatic ties with the UAE.
The state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries displayed a range of manned and unmanned naval and aerial drones.
Its participation in 2023 was overshadowed by the start of the Gaza war. Israeli defense exhibitions were empty and unstaffed at the start of the show.
The United Arab Emirates is among a handful of Arab nations with ties to Israel.
It established normal diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords in 2020. Since then, the Gaza war has dramatically worsened Israel's standing with its Arab neighbors.
Tuesday marks the second anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023, when Israel launched its attacks on Palestine, leaving tens of thousands dead and much of Gaza in ruins.
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