UK bans Israeli officials from major arms exhibitionUK government says Israel’s decision to escalate war on Gaza ‘wrong’ as Israel decries ‘discrimination’.

A visitor looks at rifles during the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) fair at the ExceL centre in London [File: Daniel Leal/ AFP]

The British government has barred Israeli officials from attending a major London arms fair next month, as tensions between the two allies escalate over Israel’s war on Gaza.

“We can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement reported by the AFP news agency on Friday.

The biennial exhibition, running from September 9-12, is one of the world’s largest arms trade shows.

The decision follows London’s suspension of some weapons export licences to Israel, the freezing of free trade negotiations, and sanctions imposed on two far-right Israeli ministers over the assault on Gaza, where famine has taken hold amid Israel’s severe restrictions on supplies of humanitarian aid.

“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong,” the British statement said. “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.”

A report published in May found that United Kingdom firms have continued to export military items to Israel despite a government partial suspension in September last year.