DSEI, one of the world’s largest arms fairs, returns to London’s ExCeL Centre between 9-12 September 2025.
DSEI is a monstrosity where the world’s biggest and worst arms dealers come together to make deals in death and destruction that cause misery worldwide.
While there are so many reasons for opposing DSEI – CAAT is launching our campaign with a Kick Israel out of DSEI campaign. Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Not only has Israel completely shattered the fragile ceasefire, the atrocities it is committing are escalating.
It is clear that if Israeli companies and Israeli delegations are allowed to exhibit at, and attend DSEI, then the government, event organisers Clarion Events, and the ExCeL Centre will all be complicit in the most horrific war crimes.
Every company and government body responsible for Israel’s inclusion at DSEI is complicit in aiding and abetting Israel’s genocide and the commission of war crimes.
Ban Israel from the UK’s biggest arms fair!
We are therefore calling on the government, Clarion Events, the ExCeL centre, and the London Mayor to take urgent action to ensure that those responsible for, and complicit in, Israel’s genocide are not allowed to attend DSEI.
We demand that Israel is kicked out of DSEI, including a ban on Israeli arms companies, speakers and delegations attending the event.
Specifically we demand that:
- the government does not invite an Israeli delegation and does not issue visas for Israeli government, military and arms industry personnel;
- Clarion Events bans Israeli companies and speakers from attending;
- ExCeL refuse to host the event unless Israeli delegations, speakers and companies are banned;
- The London mayor does everything in his power to ensure Israeli delegations and companies are excluded from the event.
Israel always plays a prominent role at DSEI. with the UK government inviting an official Israeli government delegation. If this happens in 2025, it will be our government rolling out the red carpet to legitimise and enable war criminals coming to shop for even deadlier weapons to wage their genocide against Palestinian people.
In 2023, in addition to Brigadier General Dr Danny Gold, head of directorate of defense research and development for the Israeli Ministry of Defence giving a keynote speech, Israel had its own country pavilion with 48 domestic Israeli arms companies exhibiting at the event. These are companies that are directly responsible for, and directly profiting from, Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the war crimes it is committing in the West Bank and Lebanon. For example, Elbit Systems provides 80% of the drones that the Israeli military use in Palestine.
Despite Israel’s horrific war crimes, despite the ICJ finding that it is plausible that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, despite the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, despite this government imposing a partial arms suspension and finding that Israel is not committed to complying with international law, it looks like it will be business as usual for Israel at DSEI 2025. Israel is already confirmed as having a country pavilion at DSEI. This will be a huge opportunity for Israeli companies to market military equipment that is no longer just “battle-tested” but now genocide tested, to a global audience.
Take action!
- Sign the petition to kick Israel out of DSEI
- Donate to support CAAT’s DSEI campaigning
- Sign up for regular email updates
- Follow us on social media to get the latest news on events and actions – use the hashtag #IsraelOutOfDSEI
- Get in touch if you’d like some campaign leaflets or stickers.
- Support our friends at Stop the Arms Fair (STAF) – and follow them to keep up to date with the latest campaign updates
See you on the streets!
While we hope, given the clear moral and legal case, this campaign will be successful, our protests and opposition to DSEI will continue regardless. Even if Israeli delegations and companies are banned, there are plenty of domestic arms companies, such as BAE Systems – the main UK producer of the 15% of F-35 combat aircraft that are made in the UK, and that Israel is using to drop 2000lb bombs on Gaza – will still have a massive presence. They will be joined by top arms companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon who supply the many of the arms Israel is using in Gaza.
DSEI is also one-stop-shop for human rights abusing regimes to stock up on military equipment to wage wars abroad and repress their populations at home. From Saudi Arabia, to Qatar to Turkey, DSEI will ensure VIP treatment for delegations from human rights abusing regimes across the world.
Particularly in the current climate – when this government is pushing to rebrand the arms trade as “British defence”- DSEI will be a major event in their calendar to further push a militarist agenda and fuel the next wars.
