Israel will join a European Union program for scientific research that bans funding of projects beyond the Green Line, the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
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Horizon Europe, the EU's largest research and development program, is a seven-year scientific research initiative, a successor of the recent Horizon 2020 program and the earlier Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development.
It seeks to raise EU science spending levels by 50% over the years 2021-2027 and is the EU's largest research and development program, with a budget of €95.5 billion ($111 billion).
Israel will be joining @HorizonEU for 2021-2027 following the completion of an agreement set to be signed by the end of year. Israel's accession to #HorizonEU situates Israel as a key player in the biggest and most important R&D programme in the world.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 27, 2021
"Israel joining Horizon is yet another step in our policy of connections, bringing us closer not only to the European Union as a whole but also to each of the countries of Europe on a bilateral level as well," Foreign Minister Yair Lapid tweeted.
Yael Ravia Zadok, head of the Economic Diplomacy Division at Foreign Ministry, who led the campaign, said, "The completion of negotiations following a months-long political effort is a significant political and professional milestone. It represents an expression of confidence by Europe in Israel's assets in science, technology, and innovation."
The deal for Israel to join Horizon Europe includes the clauses put in place in 2013 that bans the use of funds across the Green Line, namely east Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Golan Heights. It also bars academic and research institutions across the Green Line from participating in the program.
The deal further includes in the appendix detailing that the Jewish state opposes said banning of funds on legal and political grounds.
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The government and Knesset still need to approve the final draft of the agreement that includes the settlements exclusion clauses.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
