Something dramatic just happened at a famous airplane show in Paris, France. It’s called the Paris Airshow, where countries show off their latest flying machines and weapons. But this year, something surprising happened between France and Israel, two countries that are usually friends.
French authorities told four big Israeli companies—Elbit Systems, Rafael, IAI, and Uvision—to take away the weapons they were showing. These were powerful weapons that can cause serious harm in war. But the Israeli companies didn’t listen.
So, what did France do? In the middle of the night, they closed off the booths by putting up big black walls to block them from view! It was like suddenly putting a curtain in front of their stands so no one could see their stuff.
France said they did it for security reasons. They don’t want certain weapons on display, especially now that they’re being more careful about what’s happening in Gaza and how Israel is using military force. French President Emmanuel Macron even said he supports Israel’s right to defend itself but doesn’t agree with some of its attacks, especially on Iran.
Israel didn’t take it lightly. The Israeli Defense Ministry was very angry, calling the move “outrageous” and “unfair.” They said France was just trying to help its own companies win by blocking the competition. They felt like this was more about business and politics than safety.
One Israeli leader, Boaz Levy, said the black walls reminded him of the “dark days” when Jews were separated from the rest of society in Europe. That made the whole situation feel even more serious and emotional.
Even some US politicians visiting the airshow spoke out. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was “pretty absurd,” and Senator Katie Britt said it was a bad decision.
Some people from Elbit Systems, one of the blocked companies, said they were being hidden because their weapons are actually better than the others—and France didn’t want the competition!
The airshow organizers are now trying to help both sides calm down and find a solution.
What will happen next? Will France and Israel fix their friendship? Or will this airshow drama fly even higher?
