Israel has cancelled its planned participation in a major defence expo in the United Arab Emirates next week due to COVID-19 curbs on air travel, Israeli officials said on Monday.

Dozens of Israeli defence firms had been due to take part in the IDEX conference in Abu Dhabi on Feb 21-25 - a first for both countries, which last September established formal relations.

But officials from Israel's Defence Ministry and Regional Cooperation Ministry said the plan was cancelled. They cited Israel's Jan. 26 ban on international air travel, which is still in force as it tries to reverse a surge in COVID-19 contagion.

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