Israel warns EU of 'huge mistake' if research ties are suspended

European Commission proposal would ban some start-ups from accelerator programme

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has called for 'national measures to increase the pressure' on Israel. EPA

Israel has told the EU it would be making a “huge mistake” if it partially suspends Israeli participation in flagship research programme Horizon Europe.

The European Commission put forward the proposal on Tuesday after the bloc found that Israel had breached a human rights clause that is enshrined in EU-Israel relations.

EU officials say a deal struck to allow more aid into Gaza has been insufficiently implemented by Israel and ministers are pushing for a strong response from the bloc.

Support for the measure from the Dutch government triggered a spat with Israel. Foreign Minister Casper Veldkamp also announced a visa ban on far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

“The [Dutch] government’s goal is crystal clear: the people of Gaza must be given immediate, unfettered, safe access to humanitarian aid,” Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on X, as he expressed support for the EU Commission proposal.

In response, Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X that “it will be a huge mistake if EU takes such steps, especially in light of Israel’s ongoing and upgraded humanitarian efforts”.

The Netherlands is the second EU country to impose travel bans on the ministers after Slovenia took similar measures this month. The pair are champions of the Israeli settlement movement who support continuing the war in Gaza.

The clash on X between Mr Schoof and Mr Herzog is yet another signal of the deepening gulf between Europe and Israel. It comes after Israel on Monday banned access to Gaza at the last minute to a senior EU official in charge of humanitarian aid, Maciej Popowski.

The EU Commission has suggested suspending the participation of Israeli start-ups operating with dual-use technologies − such as in cybersecurity, drones and artificial intelligence − from an EU-funded accelerator programme. To be adopted, the proposal requires the backing of 15 of the bloc's 27 member states.

The measure is widely viewed as symbolic. It is the first concrete step taken by the EU in response to Israel's alleged breaches of international law the Gaza war. There has been growing international outrage over reports of mass famine in Gaza.

Mr Schoof said he also supports further measures against Israel, including “in the realm of trade” as well as “national measures to increase the pressure”.

In May, the Netherlands rallied support from a majority of member states to request that the EU's external action service (EEAS) conduct an internal review of Israel's compliance with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The demand came as alarm grew over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and violence against Palestinians at the hands of extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

On June 20, the EEAS circulated the result of its review, based on findings by international bodies such as the International Court of Justice and the UN. It found that Israel had indeed breached its human rights obligations in Gaza.

As a result, EU foreign affairs minister Kaja Kallas, suggested last month a list of 10 measures that could be taken against Israel. Most of them, including a full or partial suspension of Israel's participation in Horizon Europe, as well as suspending trade preferences, must first be tabled by the European Commission.

The measures were discussed at the last meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, but at the time, ministers decided to wait to see how Israel respected a deal struck with Ms Kallas to allow more aid into Gaza.

Israel has in the past days allowed more aid into Gaza, but the implementation of the deal has been deemed insufficient by the EU's humanitarian services.

A Palestinian man shows a small bag of humanitarian aid received, in Al Mawasi, in southern Gaza. AFP