„It is only by getting the ethics right that research excellence can be achieved” – (EU Commission, Horizon 2020)
On the basis of information collected by ECCP, Stop the Wall prepared an analysis about the dual use and misuse/malevolent use of research results in the case of EU funding to Israeli military and security companies.
Summary:
● This briefing argues that the EU so far has given no satisfactory justification for the funding under the Horizon2020 framework for projects that involve Elbit Systems and other Israeli companies and asks for such projects to be immediately excluded from funding .
● Israeli military companies (public or private) work in direct connection with the Israeli military, providing necessary equipment and weapons for illegal operations within the framework of Israeli military aggressions and Israeli colonisation of the occupied Palestinian territories.
○ EU funding for these companies inherently fuels the Israeli capacity to sustain its war crimes and grave violations of human rights and international law .
○ Dual use is a constant element for Israeli technology. As Isaac BenIsrael, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency, puts it: “ because we are a small country, if you build a small satellite production line, say at IAI, it will be used for military and for commercial.”
● Current and past EU funded projects:
○ Have supported the development of Israeli drones technology
○ Have supported the further development of technology used to build/ maintain the illegal Wall, enforce the siege on Gaza, during Israeli military aggressions including war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity.
○ This contradicts the EU policies and calls on Israel to stop its illegal settlement project, including the Wall, to lift the siege on Gaza and concerns over Israeli military aggressions.
○ The EU has no means to stop Israeli companies from misusing the technology and knowhow developed through their R&D funding.
● We argue that excluding Israeli military companies from funding:
○ is a necessity in order to comply with EU Horizon2020 ethics regulations, including:
■ Not to fund research funding for dual use
■ To avoid misuse or malevolent use of research results (research involving or generating materials, methods or knowledge that could be misused for unethical purposes)
■ To avoid Mission or Function Creep of technology or information/data beyond the approved initial plan in a way that it harms fundamental ethical values or civil rights
○ would be a concrete way to comply with the obligation of the international community to take effective measures to halt grave breaches of international law.
○ is a necessity if the EU wants to comply their legal obligation not to aid and assist Israel’s grave breaches of international law nor maintain the situation created by them.
○ such funding violates the growing call for a military embargo on Israel.
Read the full briefing HERE
Read Annex – Projects under scrutiny HERE