Defense expo IDEX and Gulfood open in UAE, but without Israelis

Two big, important events kicked off Sunday in the United Arab Emirates without many of the Israeli participants who might have liked to travel.

After a whirlwind embrace last year that saw some 130,000 Israelis head for Dubai, the closure of Ben-Gurion Airport in January left a lot to be desired as people skipped major events in the UAE.

Other countries, such as India, have invested significant resources at both Gulfood and the International Defense Exhibition & Conference (IDEX).

About 2,500 exhibitors from 85 countries came to Gulfood. Belarus, Egypt and many others had chic, beautiful stalls and stalls. There were food workshops and discussions on how technology is changing the food industry and how to face challenges during the pandemic. According to reports, the UAE made sure that the best health protocols were followed. The expo took place in the Dubai World Trade Center.

Meanwhile, the huge defense fair called IDEX also opened in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Like Gulfood, it runs for five days. This year, up to 40 Israeli companies would leave for the first time. They would have stands in an Israeli pavilion. ISDEF, part of the Avnon Group, organized and invested in the important Israeli presence.

But the Israeli authorities prevented Israel’s presence by refusing exemptions for the closure of Israel’s airports. This left companies confused and unsure of what to do. Some were able to find local residents at the last minute to manage their stands.

The head of the Israeli mission to the UAE, Eitan Na’eh, attended IDEX and posted a photo next to the Israeli booth for SIBAT, the Ministry of Defense’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate.

For example, IAI said it has a booth at IDEX and visitors can connect virtually. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems also has an impressive booth operated by a Spanish subsidiary called PAP.

Many other companies were not present. Some approached the courts in Israel to see if they could go at the last minute. This is a blow to some of the smaller companies hoping to show off products and meet new potential customers.

MILITARY AND Defense, as well as homeland security companies, generally have not yet seen budgets drop due to COVID-19, because when it comes to security and defense, long-term procurement and challenges remain.

For example, recent drone threats against Saudi Arabia and missile strikes against US forces in Iraq underscore the importance of air defense. Israel unveiled work on the Arrow-4 last week.

This shows that when it comes to all kinds of new defense technologies, there is a need for big defense exchanges like IDEX. It seems every other country in the Middle East and neighboring regions realized this, except Israel.

This is strange considering that Israel is known as the Start-Up Nation and has some of the largest defense companies in the world, including IAI, Rafael and Elbit Systems.

Israel is a pioneer in a number of technologies, including air defense, drone combat and hanging munitions. The Jewish state is also a pioneer in electro-optics, surveillance, and artificial intelligence applications. Abu Dhabi and IDEX are a hub for important new defense customers, including India.

As Israel’s presence on IDEX has diminished, a plethora of other interesting systems can be seen. According to reports, the UAE’s Highland Systems is showing off its amphibious hybrid multipurpose vehicle Storm. India sent a naval vessel to the exhibition. IDEX has a marine component called NAVDEX. Minks Wheel Tractor Plant also sent a delegation.

General Atomics is also present at IDEX and showcases new technology for UAVs. “Unmanned antenna systems are only as useful as the sensor they can carry,” the company says. Israel has an abundance of such sensors and drones, including the Aeronautics Orbiter line, IAI’s Heron and Elbit’s Hermes.

It would have been befitting Israeli companies if they could have had a larger presence at the event. In the end, about 1,300 sellers went to IDEX, and it appears that most of the Israeli presence did not make it. The next few days could see that change, but so far the airport’s closure kept Israelis from the event.