Since 2015, there has been pressure on the European Union from organizations and citizens across almost all member states to stop funding Elbit Systems and other Israeli military companies.
The EU runs one of the world’s largest research and development programs and participation in the programs is a huge support to Israel’s military industry, both in terms of financial rewards and access to know-how. By letting Elbit Systems and other Israeli military companies participate in the programs, the EU funnels tax payers money directly to Israel’s military complex, funding Israeli apartheid against Palestinians.
In 2015, Stop the Wall released a report “Supporting Israeli apartheid: EU funding for Elbit Systems” warning how the EU’s relationship with Elbit Systems would be a clear example of EU complicity with Israeli violations of human rights. This was followed up by a letter from Palestinian civil society to Federica Mogherini. In July 2015, 73 MEP submitted a letter to the EU High Commissioner of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, calling for an end to funding and support of Israeli military and security companies.
On March 1, 2016, the ECCP held a public hearing in the European Parliament that was sponsored jointly by MEPs from Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the European People’s Party, and the Socialists and Democrats, a coalition unprecedented on the question of Palestine. Following previously published research by ECCP on the question of Israeli military entities receiving funding from the European Union through the funding programme Horizon 2020, MEPs and experts discussed the issue and agreed on follow up actions.