From drones to armoured vehicles, to various artillery systems — the world’s largest defence and arms exhibition opened on Monday in Paris, showcasing the latest military technology.

However, the event has been impacted by ongoing worldwide conflicts. For the first time, Israel has been barred from participating in the international defence expo for its offensive in Gaza.

A French district court has ruled that the event organisers must ban anyone working for or representing Israeli firms from participating in the event.

Seventy-four Israeli firms were set to exhibit weapons at the fairground event north of Paris near the international airport before the ongoing legal battle ensued.

The event organiser Coges, led by Charles Beaudoin, has said they would appeal the latest court decision “as soon as possible,” but the exhibition already began Monday and runs until Friday.

Russia and Belarus are also noticeably absent due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Eurosatory conference is held every two years and attracts more than 2,000 exhibitors from 61 countries and other entities.

This includes the EU Commission – relatively new to the event – which has ramped up its defence industry strategy since the war in Ukraine.

One of the strategies includes the EDIRPA (European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act), a plan to incentivise EU member states to buy weapons jointly.

Another is the European Defense Fund (EDF) which provides grants to defence companies gathered in consortia of at least three EU states – another tool to strengthen companies in the face of their American competitors.

“The war in Ukraine has enabled the European Union and the European Commission to get a little more involved in defence issues, particularly defence and armaments,” said Léo Péria-Péigné, arms expert at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri).

“As a result, they have a more legitimate presence at this show today than they did two years ago. They are willing to invest more in order to carry more weight in the future,” he told Euronews.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his war cabinet that was responsible for key decisions relating to the Israel-Hamas conflict, officials told the Associated Press.

The move comes after war cabinet minister Benny Gantz quit last week, saying the prime minister was making “total victory impossible.” In announcing his resignation, Gantz said the government needs to put the return of the hostages seized Oct. 7 by Hamas “above political survival.”

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the change with the media, said that going forward Netanyahu would hold smaller forums with some of his government members for sensitive issues surrounding the war. 

Critics say Netanyahu’s wartime decision-making has been influenced by ultranationalists in his government who oppose a deal that would bring about a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages, according to the AP. Netanyahu denies the accusations and says he has the country’s best interests in mind.

ISRAELI WAR CABINET MINISTER BENNY GANTZ QUITS NETANYAHU’S EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT

The War Cabinet was formed in the early days of the war, when Gantz, a centrist opposition party leader, joined the coalition in a show of unity following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.

NETANYAHU CRITICIZES MILITARY’S PLANS FOR 11-HOUR DAILY PAUSES IN FIGHTING

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen convening the war cabinet in Tel Aviv.  (Prime Minister of Israel @IsraeliPM on X)

It included Gantz, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant — and together they made important decisions throughout the course of the war.

“Months after the October disaster, the situation in the country and in the decision-making cabinet has changed. Netanyahu and his partners have turned unity into a void call who has no cover. Fateful strategic decisions are met with hesitancy and procrastination due to political considerations,” Gantz said in announcing his resignation. “Netanyahu is preventing us from progressing to a real victory. That is why we are leaving the emergency government today with a heavy heart, but with a whole heart.”

Benny Gantz, a centrist member of the war cabinet, left it last week. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

“This is the time for unity and not for division,” Netanyahu later wrote on X. “We must remain united within ourselves in the face of the great tasks before us. I call on Benny Gantz – do not leave the emergency government. Don’t give up on unity.” 

Fox News’ Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.