France’s government has reversed a decision and will now allow all Israeli firms to participate in the upcoming Paris security expo. This comes despite the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, where many civilians remain under siege and thousands more live in fear. The reversal follows earlier plans to exclude eight Israeli companies from the event, a move initially linked to concerns over their involvement in the region’s violence. 

The timing is striking. As the humanitarian situation in Gaza deepens, with aerial, artillery and ground operations continuing even after a brief cease-fire, this decision appears to side-step scruples about profiting from technologies tested in areas of devastation. A French official said the decision to permit participation was “a French decision and not the result of Israeli pressure”.  Critics argue that allowing firms tied to the machinery of oppression to exhibit in Paris sends a message of complicity rather than accountability.

On the ground, Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories continue to endure the effects of the violence: homes destroyed, families displaced, prisoners held without just remedy. The symbolic weight of this trade-show decision resonates deeply for those who feel the international system abandons their plight while profiting from instruments of their suffering.