Israel Faces Exclusion From EU Research Program Over Genocide Clause

Israel is at risk of being excluded from the European Union's "Horizon" research and innovation funding program. New proposed rules for the 2028-2034 program cycle require non-EU member states to adhere to the UN Genocide Convention. This condition, introduced amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, could lead to Israel's exclusion without a formal EU decision.

The "Horizon" program, one of the world's largest research funding initiatives with a budget of approximately 95 billion euros for seven years, has seen Israeli participation since 1996. In the 2014-2020 cycle alone, Israeli researchers and companies received 2,045 grants totaling 1.8 billion euros.

The new clause mandates that non-EU countries adopt European values, including "respect for human rights and international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide dated December 9, 1948," alongside promoting gender equality and peace. Unlike previous cycles, this condition was not present. The proposed rules explicitly mention the UK and Switzerland as eligible to compete for grants despite not being EU members, but Israel is not similarly referenced.

A report in "The Marker" suggested the clause might be intentionally included to exclude Israel, given the accusations of genocide it faces at the International Court of Justice concerning its actions in Gaza. However, there has been no official European statement directly linking the new condition to Israel. The International Court of Justice is currently reviewing a case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

While final figures for the current "Horizon" cycle are unavailable, the report indicated a decline in grants for Israeli researchers, potentially due to an informal academic boycott. The article suggests that Israeli researchers' identities might influence peer review evaluations, though no concrete proof of rejection based on this was provided. The potential exclusion could deprive Israeli universities and tech companies of a crucial funding source and prompt researchers to relocate abroad.

Tamir Sheffer, President of the Hebrew University, emphasized the program's importance for research funding and collaborations, stating the university is working with Israeli and European decision-makers to prevent Israel's exclusion. The Israel Innovation Authority and the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education consider continued participation a strategic interest, providing access to funding and European research networks. They have received professional assurances of continued participation but stressed the need for coordinated efforts to secure it, pending the final EU rules.