Gaza, EU suspends Israel’s participation from the Horizon research programme

Brussels – Stop to Israel’s participation in the EU Horizon research programme. The European Commission has decided to take action against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over its response to Hamas attacks and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. For the Jewish state, the suspension of its partnership with the EU is not total but partial. The suspension specifically concerns the participation of Israeli-based entities in activities funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under the Accelerator, a programme for start-ups and small businesses with disruptive innovations and emerging technologies with potential dual-use applications, such as cybersecurity, drones, and artificial intelligence. 

The EU executive’s decision holds a strong political significance. The EU, albeit with difficulty and after much uncertainty, is really beginning to corner the Israeli leadership. The decision taken by the College of Commissioners is the result of the review conducted in Brussels on Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Treaty of Association, which states that the validity of the entire treaty revolves around respect for human rights. At the end of June, the EU already determined that Netanyahu’s government had violated human rights in Gaza, but postponed its decision until today (July 28). 

A traditionally friendly country was given time to change course, but a month later, little has changed. Hence, the decision to exclude Israel from the European Innovation Council programme. A first step, though not a definitive one. The decision is reversible, but it will be up to the Jewish State to convince the European Commission to retrace its steps. In addition, the stop “does not affect the participation of Israeli universities and researchers”in collaborative projects and research activities within Horizon Europe, the Commission states—an industrial exclusion, therefore, not an academic-scientific one. 

The announcement of EU “sanctions” against Israel comes just days after France announced its recognition of the Palestinian state and called on other countries to follow suit at the United Nations. French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement was met with criticism and harsh reactions from Tel Aviv, with which the EU is increasingly at loggerheads.