Israeli companies blocked from joining Netherlands defense exhibit

JERUSALEM — Major Israeli defense companies will not be allowed to participate this November in a popular defense exhibit in the Netherlands, Israeli defense industry executives told Defense News.

Exclusion of Israeli companies from the exhibition, known as NEDS, comes amid statements by the Dutch government that no military products have been exported to Israel under a general license since the start of the Israeli-Gaza war.

In 2024, a Dutch court also ordered its government to ban the export of spare parts for F-35 aircraft to Israel, fearing that they could be used to violate international law in the conflict.

The potential Israeli display, meanwhile, was not part of an Israeli delegation sponsored by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The Israeli Defense and Foreign Ministries responded that the matter is under review. The Netherlands Defense Ministry and the NEDS organizers did not respond to requests for comment as of publication.

Despite the move, the Netherlands has proceeded with recent arms purchases from Israel, including a contract for Rafael’s SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missiles — with thousands of additional missiles — that was signed in September 2024 for approximately €250 million.

Additionally, in May 2023 the Netherlands purchased PULS rocket launchers, missiles and training services from Elbit Systems.

The NEDS ban marks the second European defense exhibition that has taken actions to restrict Israeli companies amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Last June the Israeli pavilions at the Paris Air Show (SIAE) were blocked with black walls after being asked not to display what were labeled “offensive weapons.”

Tzally Greenberg is the Israel correspondent for Defense News. He has experience reporting on economic affairs as well as defense and cyber companies.

耶路撒冷——以色列国防工业高管告诉《防务新闻》，以色列主要国防公司将不被允许参加今年11月在荷兰举行的一场热门国防展览。

在荷兰政府发表声明称自以加战争爆发以来，没有向以色列出口任何军用产品并获得通用许可证之后，以色列公司被排除在名为 NEDS 的展览之外。

2024 年，荷兰一家法院还下令荷兰政府禁止向以色列出口 F-35 飞机的零部件，担心这些零部件可能被用于在冲突中违反国际法。

与此同时，以色列方面可能进行的展览并非由以色列国防部赞助的以色列代表团的一部分。以色列国防部和外交部回应称，此事正在审查中。截至发稿时，荷兰国防部和NEDS主办方均未回复置评请求。

尽管采取了这一举措，荷兰还是继续从以色列购买武器，其中包括一份于 2024 年 9 月签署的、价值约 2.5 亿欧元的拉斐尔 SPIKE LR2 反坦克导弹合同——以及数千枚额外的导弹。

此外，2023 年 5 月，荷兰从埃尔比特系统公司购买了 PULS 火箭发射器、导弹和培训服务。

NEDS的禁令是继加沙战争持续期间，第二个采取行动限制以色列公司的欧洲防务展览会。

去年六月，以色列在巴黎航展（SIAE）上的展馆被黑墙封锁，此前以色列方面被要求不要展示被贴上“进攻性武器”标签的展品。

特扎利·格林伯格是《防务新闻》的以色列记者。他拥有丰富的经济事务以及国防和网络安全公司报道经验。