Around a hundred people gathered outside the European Parliament office in Madrid to demand Israel's expulsion from the Horizon Europe program. Protesters denounce that the European Union funds a genocide with public money by allowing Israel's participation in this research initiative. The protest was replicated in over 20 European cities.
The protest took place this afternoon at number 46 on Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, organized by Acampada por Palestina. Chants such as “Israel asesina, Europa patrocina” and “si Horizon no para, volverá la intifada” echoed among the participants, who carried banners criticizing the collaboration of Madrid universities with Israeli entities, such as the Universidad Complutense with 10 active contracts.
Ricci Galiano, spokesperson for Acampada por Palestina Madrid, explained that Israel participates in Horizon Europe as an associated country, with rights equivalent to those of EU member states. The program, which distributes 95.5 billion euros from 2021 to 2027, has granted Israel 3 billion euros in the last ten years and 1.1 billion in the 2021-2024 cycle. “Given the context after October 7, 2023, we consider that Israel must be sidelined from the distribution of these funds because right now we are paying for a genocide with public money,” denounced Galiano.
The activists highlight the 'dual use' of funded research: civilian projects that could be directed toward military purposes, including drone technology, armament from companies like Elbit and Israel Aerospace Industries, surveillance systems, and AI censorship. They cited the example of Russia, expelled from Horizon Europe after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as a precedent.
Jaime Pérez, a CSIC worker, stated: “The citizenry cannot remain silent and Israel must assume the massacres it has committed.” Beatriz Payo, a UC3M student, added: “The European Union is one of the major entities that whitewashes Zionism.” The mobilization, which concluded around 18:40 with the reading of a statement and flares, is part of a campaign coordinated by about 40 collectives in 30 European cities, with protests in places like Dublin, Paris, and Barcelona.
Acampada por Palestina, which emerged after the university protests of October 2023, demands a total break in collaborations with Israel and isolation on all fronts. They have not submitted a formal demand to the EU, given the lack of institutional willingness to act, especially in a context of military rearmament where Israel is a key arms supplier.
