Germany conditions high-tech, science grants on settlement funding ban

[Jefferson23]

* Here a wrench, there a wrench, everywhere a wrench wrench,......

Israel hopes to nix clause that might complicate renewal of scientific cooperation agreement.
By Barak Ravid | Jan. 23, 2014 |

The German government is conditioning continued grants to Israeli high-tech companies, as well as the renewal of a scientific cooperation agreement, on the inclusion of a territorial clause stating that Israeli entities located in West Bank settlements or East Jerusalem will not be eligible for funding. Israel fears the German move will lead other European Union member states to follow suit.

The German decision represents a significant escalation in European measures against the settlements. While the Horizon 2020 scientific cooperation agreement, which Israel signed with the European Union a few weeks ago, prohibited EU funding for academic research conducted in the settlements, Berlin has now extended the funding ban to private companies located over the Green Line. Moreover, the boycott against the settlements has now spread from EU institutions in Brussels to individual EU members.

A senior Foreign Ministry official said that given the “special relationship” between Israel and Germany and the fact that Germany is considered Israel’s best friend in Europe, any Israeli consent to Germany’s demands is liable to set a precedent for all of Europe. “Germany will set an example for the rest of the world,” he said.

“We also want to prevent a situation in which every decision made by the European Commission in Brussels is automatically adopted by all 28 member states,” he added, referring to the commission’s insistence on a territorial clause in Horizon 2020. Since the Horizon agreement was signed two months ago, Germany is the first country to demand a similar clause in its bilateral agreements with Israel.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.570071#