LONDON — The British government has blocked Israeli officials from attending a major defense conference in London amid continued criticism of the campaign in Gaza.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense has previously been prominently represented at DSEI, a huge exhibition of weapons and other military equipment which takes place in London every other year.
But a spokesman for the U.K. government told POLITICO they would not be invited to take part this year.
Israeli arms companies will however be able to take part in DSEI as normal, according to Whitehall officials, and their presence is expected to draw large-scale protests.
The spokesman 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.”
They added: “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.”
London has slowly ratcheted up pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue a ceasefire in recent months, dropping trade negotiations and promising to recognize Palestinian statehood if he does not change course.
The conference normally draws a mix of national delegations and private firms, with each country designated its own pavilion. It was not immediately clear whether Israel would still hold a dedicated pavilion.
DSEI is organized by Clarion Defence and Security Limited, but receives major support from the U.K. government and armed forces.
The move by the British government follows scenes of confusion at the Paris Air Show in June, when Israeli firms were ordered to remove some weapons from display and refused to comply.
Officials close to the British decision said the Israeli government had been informed, and that the ban could be lifted if it demonstrated a commitment to upholding international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
DSEI declined to comment, and the Israeli embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Chris Lunday contributed to this report.
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