Israel has been benefiting from EU funding through the Horizon research programme since 1996.
Israeli public or private organisations and companies receiving funding from it, are directly or indirectly involved in the technology and policies used to oppress Palestinians and keep in place the Israeli colonial and apartheid regime.
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion for 2021-2027.
The programme is one of the closest forms of cooperation between the EU and non-EU countries.
Israel has been benefiting from it since 1996.
European research subsidies have been funding Israeli academic institutions, businesses – including military companies -and government agencies.
The Horizon Programme excludes in principle entities directly located inside the occupied West Bank or Gaza, but it has in reality been supporting entities responsible directly or indirectly for Israel’s ongoing colonial expansion, and enforcement of apartheid.
The programme has repeatedly funded institutions such as Ariel University, in the illegal settlement of Ariel breaching EU own guidelines.
Among the companies funded by Horizon Europe programme and responsible for contributing to Israeli violations:
IBM Israel Ltd.
Red Hat
Sightec Ltd.
Israel Aerospace Industries
Technion Institute
Tel Aviv University
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Sightec provides drone analytics system to the Israeli Police whose mandate includes ensuring Palestinian subjugation and enforcement of discriminatory policies.
The Horizon Europe project with Sightec (€2.4 million) is supporting drone navigation in urban environments.
Horizon is also working with military manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries, the Israeli Ministry of Transport and the Israel Innovation Authority, all responsible for the Apartheid wall, segregated roads, settlement infrastructures or the development of technologies based on the exploitation of Palestinians.
The Israel Institute of technology (Technion) receives €33.08 million from Horizon. It is infamous for its technology and military R&D used to advance Israel’s settler colonial project, such as the D9 remote-controlled bulldozer widely used in the systemic demolition of Palestinian homes.
Technion is where ‘Scream‘ was developed, a non-lethal acoustic system that creates sound levels that are unbearable to humans at distances up to 100 meters and can cause nausea and dizziness. This weapon is used to suppress demonstrations.
The university also offered courses on how to brand and market Israeli military industry abroad.
EU officials have often expressed in statements their “concern” with Israeli violations of international law including human rights.
In 2021, 60 Members of the European Parliament asked the European Commission for an investigation on whether the Horizon association has been directly or indirectly used to develop cyber surveillance technology, such as Pegasus and Candiru.
The EU Commission initially refused the investigation on Members States use of the software, which was undertaken instead by the European Parliament and included an investigation on the use of Horizon funds.
Yet, the EU keeps feeding Israel’s colonial and apartheid system by directly funding its military and technology research and production, enhancing Israel’s hegemonic control of a captive civilian population.
EU taxpayer money should stop fuelling war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The immediate suspension of Russian entities to the programme in March 2022 proves that when there is political will, there is a way.
Useful resources:
- EECP brief on the Horizon programme