UAE’s Controversy: 40 Israeli Weapon Makers Participated in Two Abu Dhabi Exhibitions

The UAE authorities have thrown open their doors to Israeli arms manufacturers—companies that have played a major role in the killing of Palestinians in Gaza—allowing them to showcase their weapons and other products at the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defense and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX) in Abu Dhabi from February 17 to 21, 2025.

A total of 40 Israeli arms companies participated in the Israeli pavilion at IDEX, including Israel Aerospace Industries, IMI Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Elbit Systems. These companies unveiled new and advanced weaponry at the exhibition, some of which had already been tested in the war on Gaza.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, three of the Israeli companies present at the event—ranked among the world’s top 100 arms manufacturers in 2023—achieved record sales of $13.6 billion that year, driven by Israel’s war on Gaza.

Despite the massive destruction and more than 160,000 killed and wounded, Abu Dhabi did not take any steps to distance itself from Israel, even partially. On the contrary, reports indicate that trade between the two sides increased during the war between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025.

IDEX organizers defended the Israeli presence, stating, “This is a global event, open to everyone wishing to attend and exhibit their products in Abu Dhabi. The Israeli pavilion is expanding, with around 40 companies featured at IDEX 2025.”

The strong presence of Israeli companies at IDEX 2025 highlights the deepening ties between Abu Dhabi and Israel.

Boaz Levy, CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, expressed his satisfaction with participating in the event, despite Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. “We are very happy to be here,” he said, stressing that the war on Gaza had not hindered cooperation with regional allies.

Levy added, “Of course, some of our products are being used there (in Gaza), but we are a company focused on technology and providing end users with the capabilities they need in the field, which is what we do on a daily basis.”

Ron Polak, sales director at an Israeli arms manufacturing company that produces small arms, rifles, pistols, and machine guns, stated, “We work extensively with Abraham Accords countries (normalization states).”

“We really enjoy the hospitality and friendship we experience here in the UAE,” he added.

Meanwhile, the vice president of sales and marketing at Israel’s IMI Systems described the normalization agreements as “a very strong peace agreement… We feel safe and welcomed here in the UAE.”

Last year, the French government barred Israeli companies from setting up booths or displaying equipment at the Euronaval defense trade exhibition amid mounting casualties in Gaza. However, a Paris court later overturned this ban.

In contrast, Abu Dhabi granted Israeli companies extensive participation, though the war on Gaza and Lebanon has severely damaged Israel’s global reputation. Many countries and arms manufacturers distanced themselves from the Israeli pavilion, according to complaints from several Israeli company representatives at the exhibition.

Israeli exhibitors admitted that this is a difficult time to secure deals, as they face a markedly different atmosphere compared to the last IDEX event, held in February 2023 before the war on Gaza.

Benzion Levinson, founder and chairman of Heven Drones, a company based in both the United States and “Israel,” stated: “We already launched a drone at IDEX 2023, and the atmosphere there was definitely somewhat different. I share the feeling that the world is not the same as it was two years ago, but I also share the belief that we are all here to protect our countries.”

Levinson added that while there is still room to pursue business with clients in the Middle East, there is caution when it comes to publicly discussing potential deals. However, he believes that potential clients seek battle-proven systems, which could drive them toward making purchases.

Abraham Mazor, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Smart Shooter—a company specializing in fire control systems for small arms—stated: “We believe that the UAE is looking for innovation and the latest technologies.” He added that the company’s priority, with clients in both the Middle East and Europe, is to attract buyers from the UAE.

When asked whether Israeli companies are being perceived differently compared to the previous exhibition, he said: “We have a good product, a reliable product, both at the last IDEX and this year. We do not talk about politics; we are simply happy to help our partners deploy the best systems.”

Meanwhile, Polak believes that “IDEX is an international exhibition, not limited to the Middle East. We have clients from South America, Europe, and, of course, the Middle East visiting us at this exhibition. It is essentially a global event.” He further stated, “Governments usually purchase what they need, and if politics is set aside, they will buy the best available products.”

Abu Dhabi signed a normalization agreement with the Israeli occupation in September 2020 under U.S. mediation. The deal included cooperation in investment, defense, cybersecurity, financial technology, energy, and agricultural technology.

But Abu Dhabi did not stop at normalization alone. Along with other normalization states—Bahrain and Morocco—it purchased nearly 25% of Israel’s total arms exports in 2022, amounting to approximately $12.5 billion.

Additionally, Abu Dhabi is an active investor in Israel’s security and defense industry through the Mubadala Investment Company (a global investment firm aimed at generating sustainable financial returns for the Abu Dhabi government), the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund), and G42 (a company specializing in surveillance and owned by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, the UAE’s National Security Advisor). In March 2021, the UAE allocated $10 billion to invest in Israel’s strategic sectors.

These partnerships and investments in Israeli weaponry have made Abu Dhabi a key partner in the occupation’s crimes in Gaza and Lebanon. As a result, it has become a primary accomplice in horrifying massacres—atrocities that cannot be concealed by the tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian aid it has sent, and continues to send, to the people of Gaza.