An Israeli pavilion stands among industry giants at the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX), held in the Gulf country's capital Abu Dhabi until Friday.
"We are very pleased to be here," said Boaz Levy, the president and CEO of IAI, ranked among the 100 largest arms companies in the world in 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Last year, as civilian casualties mounted in Gaza, the French government banned Israeli companies from setting up stands or exhibiting hardware at the Euronaval defence trade fair. The decision was later thrown out by a Paris court.
According to SIPRI, the three Israeli manufacturers in the ranking, prominently featured at the Abu Dhabi show, recorded a record turnover of $13.6 billion in 2023, driven by Israel's offensive on Gaza.
But for Levy, this has not stopped them from collaborating with allies in the region.
"Of course, some of our products are there (in Gaza), but we are a company that deals with technology and giving the end user the capabilities... required in the field, and that's what we are doing on a day-to-day basis," he said.
The UAE normalised ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords brokered by the United States during the first Donald Trump administration.
Since then, Israeli arm manufacturer EMTAN has attended every defence fair in Abu Dhabi.
"We work a lot with the Abraham" countries, said sales manager Ron Pollak, whose firm makes small arms, rifles, pistols and submachine guns.
"We really, really enjoy the hospitality and the friendship that we encounter here in the UAE."
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