Liberal Democrat MEP Phil Bennion is backing a cross-party appeal to EU Foreign Affairs boss Cathy Ashton to ensure that EU cash does not end up funding activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, illegal under international law.
He has signed a strongly-worded letter with 113 other MEPs urging the High Representative to ensure that no form of EU-funded support is provided to Israeli entities based in settlements illegal under international law, or to activities or operations in those settlements.
The West Midlands MEP is a member of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Phil Bennion said: “The EU is a strong supporter of a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israel dispute based on the right of both sides to co-exist peacefully in their own state, backed by international law.
“The EU is a friend of democracy and a friend of Israel, but at the same time must not end up supporting entities unlawfully established in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories or supporting activities related to these settlements, which remain illegal under international law.
“Horizon 2020 just signed off will see the EU spending £60 billion in the world’s largest research and development programme. The plan has very strong support but it is not acceptable for Horizon 2020 cash to find its way to funding projects based in or directly related to Israeli settlements. The safeguards need to be clear and need to be enforced.
“The European Parliament has a responsibility to ensure that the EU sticks to its international commitments, which is why I and many MEPs from different parties have signed this letter.”
In October the European Commissioner responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship visited Israel to discuss industrial relations between the EU and Israel. Negotiations are still on-going between Israel and the EU on guidelines affecting Israel’s proposed participation in the Horizon 2020 research programme. Phil Bennion and the signatories of the letter want all the eligibility criteria set out in the Guidelines to be strictly implemented in their entirety, covering work programmes, financing decisions and calls for proposals.
Phil added: “We need to be fair to the Israeli authorities and ensure they are made fully aware of the eligibility criteria and what they should mean in practice, to ensure the criteria are not later found to be unenforceable during implementation. It is in the EU’s interest to do this for legal and financial certainty. Cathy Ashton has the responsibility to make this clear.
“Using the EU’s influence this way also gives extra strength to the growing body of opinion in Israel, including parts of the government, supporting a new peace initiative with the Palestinians. The peace dividend for a resolution of this long-running conflict would be huge.”
