Israeli defense contractors showcased their military technology to representatives from numerous European and Asian nations during Israel’s Defense Tech Week, explicitly highlighting the combat performance of these systems in Gaza operations. The two-day event, co-sponsored by Israel’s Defense Ministry and Tel Aviv University, attracted over 2,000 participants despite growing international condemnation of Israel’s military campaign that has resulted in more than 70,100 Palestinian casualties.
According to The Wall Street Journal, marketing materials included combat footage depicting Israeli attack drones striking targets within Gaza. This demonstration occurred against the backdrop of what numerous human rights experts, UN officials, and world leaders have characterized as genocidal violence against Palestinians, with daily casualties continuing due to ceasefire violations.
The attendance roster revealed significant diplomatic contradictions. While the UK government had formally banned Israeli officials from its premier arms fair in London, British embassy representatives nevertheless toured the Israeli event examining weapons systems promoted based on their Gaza deployment. Similarly, Norwegian officials participated despite their government’s sovereign wealth fund—the world’s largest—having recently divested from Caterpillar Inc. and five Israeli banks over human rights concerns in Gaza.
This participation demonstrates the limited practical impact of diplomatic censure, particularly as global defense spending increases. Israeli arms exports reached a record $14.7 billion in 2024, with the Defense Ministry acknowledging that ‘operational achievements’ in Gaza significantly drove demand. European nations accounted for 54% of these exports, while sales to Arab states party to normalization agreements (Abraham Accords) surged from 3% to 12% year-over-year.
Major transactions included Germany’s historic $4.6 billion acquisition of the Arrow 3 missile defense system—Israel’s largest-ever defense export deal—and Romania’s $2 billion air-defense purchase from Rafael. Greece similarly approved a $757 million rocket artillery procurement, reflecting strengthened Israel-Greece security cooperation driven by mutual concerns regarding Turkey.
Despite Pew Research indicating dramatically declining global perceptions of Israel—particularly among younger demographics worldwide—governmental demand for Israeli military technology continues unabated, revealing the complex interplay between geopolitical ethics and security priorities.