OR European Commission proposes that funding be suspended for his start -ups Israel. The move to limit Israeli access to the Horizon Community Program, says the country’s foreign ministry.
The European Commission called on Monday (28.07.2025) to a “freeze” of funding to 9 Israel because of the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“Although Israel has announced a daily cessation of battles in Gaza for humanitarian reasons, and has complied with some of its commitments, the situation remains serious,” the Commission estimates in a statement.
According to a Brussels report, which was presented in late June in the 27 -member Member States, Israel violates an article in the EU connection agreement on the respect of human rights.
The Commission has since examined its response by discussing various possible options: a ban on some exports, a revision of its policy of entry, etc.
The proposal presented on Monday is included in the most skeptical (timid) options. It consists of partially suspending Israel’s participation in the large Horizon Europe Research Program (Europe Horizon). Specifically, specialized start -ups are targeted in cyber security, unmanned aircraft or artificial intelligence.
Specifically, the proposal will affect the participation of Israeli agencies in the European Innovation Council accelerator “targeting start-ups and small businesses with subversive innovations and emerging technologies that have potential dual-use applications, such as cyber security, non-ruling.”
The Commission characterizes this measure as “targeted” and “overtime”.
This proposal will be approved by the EU Member States and will be discussed during a meeting on Tuesday, July 29th.
The 27 appeared particularly divided into the attitude they would adopt against Israel since it began the war in Gaza against Hamas, in response to the unprecedented attack of the Palestinian Islamic movement on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.
Several Member States, of which Germany, insist Israel’s right to defend, in accordance with international law, while others, such as Spain, denounce “genocide” against the Palestinians in Gaza.
On July 27, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that malnutrition rates in the Gaza Strip are touching “alarming levels”, with “culmination of deaths in July”.
Israel, which controls all access to Gaza, denies that it is blocking the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, accusing the Palestinian Islamist movement of Hamas of plundering the loads with the help of humanitarian organizations of not distributing it.
‘Unjustified’ the move to limit Israel’s access to the Horizon program
The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced in a post on the X platform that a recommendation by European commissioners to limit Israel’s participation in the Horizon Research Funding program (horizon) of the European Union is “incorrect, sad and unjustified”.
“Israel will work to ensure that this recommendation will not be adopted by the EU Foreign Affairs Council and we hope that this will really happen,” he said.
Israel has been involved in EU research programs since 1996, participating in thousands of joint projects in recent decades.