IDEX without Israel

Corona prevents Israeli participation in IDEX in Abu Dhabi

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Israeli government decided on 17 February not only to close Ben Gurion International Airport, but also to ban the Israeli industry delegation from leaving the country to attend the IDEX/NAVDEX defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi. More than 40 companies, including the state-owned company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and the globally operating "giants" Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems, had reserved exhibition space as part of the Israeli pavilions at both IDEX and the NAVDEX exhibition section reserved for the presentation of maritime capabilities and technologies.

As a result of the government's decision, the Israeli stands at the exhibition centre remained unoccupied, and all pre-arranged meetings and presentations as well as press releases published in connection with the fair proved to be pointless.

Expectations were high among Israelis that the event - the largest of its kind in the Middle East - would open doors to new markets and increase sales in existing markets in the Gulf and beyond. Regardless of this, Israel's industry participation at IDEX/NAVDEX naturally also sent a political signal that could not be overlooked. As a result of the peace agreement signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates in Washington D.C. on 15 September 2020 in the presence of then US President Donald Trump, the Israeli defence industry planned to have numerous companies participate in the exhibition, which takes place every two years in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, for the first time this year.

Text: Jürgen Hensel