By The Smartencyclopedia Staff & Agencies
In a recent revelation, European Union funding has purportedly been utilized for drone technology employed by Israel during its conflict with Gaza, according to claims made by two monitoring organizations.
Statewatch and Informationsstelle Militarisierung (IMI) conducted an analysis revealing that Xtend, a drone manufacturer supporting the Israeli Defence Force, received a research and development grant from the EU’s Horizon Europe fund.
The monitors assert that despite a supposed prohibition on EU funding for military and defence projects, several Israeli military companies and institutions have received millions of euros for drone development in recent years.
Xtend reportedly received €50,000 from Horizon Europe to produce a study on optimizing its Skylord Xtender drone system. The company then signed contracts with the US Department of Defence in 2021, involving Israel’s military, according to the monitors.
CEO Aviv Shapira stated that Xtend redirected its efforts to support the Israeli Defence Force following an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7.
Critics, including human rights groups, have called for a reassessment of the EU’s association agreement with Israel due to the devastating effects of the conflict in Gaza, citing huge civilian casualties, mass displacement, and infrastructure damage.
Statewatch director Chris Jones emphasized the need for scrutiny of companies receiving EU funding, stating that public money should not support entities profiting from war and destruction.
EU treaties prohibit financing expenditure arising from operations with military or defence implications, yet the Statewatch-IMI report highlighted several EU-funded projects benefiting Israeli companies and institutions, including the country’s Ministry of Defence.
This development has reignited previous concerns about EU funding for the Israeli military and defence projects. In February, MEP Clare Daly raised objections regarding Horizon Europe funds being allocated to controversial Israeli-made Pegasus spyware.
A group of MEPs urged the European Commission in 2021 to suspend Israel’s participation in Horizon Europe until the country ensures the rights of Palestinians, emphasizing that research and innovation should not compromise human rights and international law.
The European Commission has yet to comment on these allegations, leaving many questions unanswered about the use of EU funds in conflict-affected regions.