“On October 7, the European Union stood with Israel as it began its latest conflict with Gaza, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declaring that Israel has the right to defend itself. Despite Israel facing genocide charges at the International Court of Justice and indictments from the International Criminal Court, the EU continued to provide funding to Israeli institutions through its Horizon programme. Since October 7, over 238 million euros have been awarded to Israeli institutions, including top aerospace manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). While EU guidelines require funded projects to focus on civil applications, there is a loophole allowing for dual-use technology that can benefit both civilian and military purposes. Despite calls from European academics and organizations to end funding to Israeli institutions due to human rights violations, the EU has maintained its support. Israeli organizations have received over 1.28 billion euros in funding through the Horizon 2020 framework and continue to receive grants under Horizon Europe. Critics argue that the expertise gained from EU-funded projects could be used for military applications, potentially enabling human rights violations. Despite the risks, the EU has not implemented any mechanisms to prevent this misuse of technology. Researchers involved in Horizon projects with Israeli institutions emphasize the civil nature of their work, but acknowledge the potential for misuse. The use of AI and machine learning in EU-funded projects has raised concerns about their potential military applications, as seen in Israel’s Lavender system used in Gaza. Critics argue that the EU’s support for Israeli institutions perpetuates human rights violations and call for an end to collaboration.”
