RESEARCH INSTITUTES, ACADEMICS IN (ISRAEL) WARN OF HARMFUL DIMENSIONS OF EU GUIDELINES

Lembaga pendidikan tinggi milik Israel, Universitas Ariel dibangun di wilayah Tepi Barat, Palestina. (Foto: AlRay)

Gaza City, 2 Syawal 1434/9Augusts 2013 (MINA) – A report published by the newspaper Haaretz said that the Israeli research institutes and academics warn of the potential dimensions of stopping research collaboration between Israel and the European Union after the EU laid down guidelines to boycott Israeli authorities active outside the pre-1948 Palestine, (Israel)

Head of so-called (National Security Council) Yaakov Amidror held talks on Monday to discuss the dimensions of the new European guidelines to prepare for extensive talks that are expected to be initiated by Benjamin Netanyahu in the coming days.

The meeting discussed continuing to cooperate with the European Union under the project “Horizon 2020” wherein ministry of Economy, ministry of Education and science ministry take part, Alray Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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Minister of economy Naftali Bennett thought cooperation with the European Union should be stopped. However, sources within the ministry said his position is “personal” for “a fly will not disturb an elephant,” and that other choices will be posed during government to discuss more influential measures.

For his part, minister of science Yaakov Perry opposed stopping cooperation. He had called a few days earlier not to take hasty decisions on this regard; while Board of Higher Education, the Ministry of Knowledge, has not made a decision yet.

Pursuant to “Horizon 2020”, (Israel), within seven years, will transfer about 600 million euros to the European Union to allow Israeli universities and researchers to receive funding and grants for projects in many technological fields.

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For every euro Israel transfers as part of the project, it will get back a euro and a half; which means that it will get 900 million euros. However, it would lose 300 million euros if decided to discontinue cooperation.

It’s noteworthy that (Israel) is the only state from outside the EU zone that is involved in the project on an equal footing with the rest of the EU countries.

Haaretz quoted Prof. Uri Mar-Haim, of Miguel Institute, as saying that he sent a letter to Netanyahu asking him not to take hasty decisions, and examine all relevant implications.

The Institute received a year ago a grant from the European Union worth 4.4 million euros to finance research on the impact of the environment on ageing.

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Vice president of Hebrew University for Research and Development Prof. Isaiah Arkin said “non-participation in the EU’s Horizon 2020 affects research field in Israel,”

“That would hurt Israel at two levels: at the financial: we have invested 535 million euros in the project over seven years to get about 700 million euros, at level of engagement: Israel should be active in the global scientific field; the problems we are addressing in Israel are that of the world,” he added, pointing out that “industry has become the motor of the Israeli economy.” (T/P02/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)