The European Commission has proposed that EU member countries temporarily halt Israel's participation in the EU's Horizon Europe research and innovation program due to Israel's continuous activities in Gaza.
EU commissioners gathered on Monday to address the issue following Israel's inability to fulfill a negotiated agreement aimed at significantly enhancing access to food and medical supplies for Palestinians in Gaza.
The action would impact the involvement of Israeli startup companies in "innovative developments and new technologies that could have dual-use purposes, including cyber-security, drones, and artificial intelligence," according to a statement from the European Commission.
Prior to this ruling, EU Commissioners, including the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, have collectively declined to back any measures against Israel.
The plan is set to be reviewed and possibly put to a vote by the countries that are part of the EU as early as Tuesday, during a meeting of EU envoys from all 27 members.
Halting Israel's participation in the Horizon program was among ten possibilities that the European Commission and member nations were advised of following a report indicating Israel had violated international law because of the severe conditions faced by civilians in the Palestinian Territories.
Temporarily halting Horizon would not necessitate complete agreement from all 27 nations, and countries like Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are still expected to oppose any measures directed at Israel.
Nevertheless, the motion might be approved through a qualified majority vote, implying that larger countries like Italy would need to back it to fulfill the necessary conditions.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof stated that the humanitarian conditions in Gaza are "extremely dire" and called for "immediate, unrestricted, and secure access to humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza."
In a social media post, Schoof further stated that his administration might implement more severe measures against Israel.
The Hague backs the proposal to halt Israeli involvement in Horizon, stating that the Netherlands will "also advocate for additional European actions, such as in the area of trade," he mentioned.
On 10 July, the EU secured a "notable" enhancement in humanitarian aid access to Gaza, such as an increase in food trucks and a commitment to "safeguard the lives of aid workers," following the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, sending a delegation to Tel Aviv, which included Christophe Bigot, the EU's Special Envoy for the Middle East.
However, there is a strong agreement among EU members that Israel has not fulfilled its portion of the agreement.
A highly placed source told Euronews that the situation in Gaza over the past few days remains extremely dire, and while some additional aid is arriving, its distribution has been fatal.
The United Nations estimates that more than 1,000 individuals have lost their lives at food distribution points, with many others succumbing to starvation in recent days.
"I hope they are focusing on real actions rather than just the situation in Gaza; we need tangible steps, not further statements about how bad it is," said another EU official involved in the issue.
"Concentrating on a single option compels member states to take a stance. I'm uncertain about the economic implications for Israel, but it demonstrates that political pressure is indeed increasing," said the diplomat, noting that they believed the Commission had "stepped away from the issue" so far.