Suspend Israel from Horizon Europe, universities urging

Belgian university rectors have repeated their call to suspend Israel from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. In its war in Gaza, Israel has failed to honour its association agreement with the European Union, the rectors argue, which states that both parties must respect human rights, reports David Matthews for Science|Business.

“If this foundation is systematically undermined, consequences must follow. Otherwise, our European values risk becoming hollow words,” they said in a statement on 9 August. On 18 August, the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia also called on the EU to suspend Israel from the programme, citing “reports of genocidal acts against the population” in Gaza. It said it would not join Horizon Europe project consortia with Israeli institutions.

Europe is currently mulling whether to launch scientific sanctions against Israel. The EU-Israel association agreement underpins Israel’s association to Horizon Europe, from which the country has received €856 million (US$1 billion) so far.
Full report on the Science|Business site