AURDIP, BRICUP and PSABI | 15 Juillet 2012 |
More than 260 academics from 20 different countries have written to the European Commission urging it to take action to prevent Israeli arms and other companies involved in abuse of Palestinian human rights from participating in EU funded research consortia.
The letter to EU research commissioner Màire Geoghegan-Quinn argues that the involvement of Israeli companies that help Israel violate international law in EU funded research programs “undermines both the reputation of these programs and the stated goals of the European Union and its member states”.
Signatories to the letter include Gérard Toulouse, a member of the French Academy of Science, Malcolm Levitt, a member of the UK Royal Society, and renowned philosopher Slavjoj Zizek.
Israeli companies are granted access to EU research funding mechanisms such as the Seventh Framework Program (FP7) as part of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. However, the EU has come under fire for allowing companies like Ahava DSL, an Israeli cosmetics company based in an illegal settlement, to participate in EU funded projects and receive public money. Elbit Systems, an arms company that helps Israel build a wall on occupied Palestinian territory that was ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004, also receives EU funding.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso is currently in Israel to discuss its participation in EU programs. Palestinian civil society organisations have asked him to take action to ensure Israeli participation in European Union programs does not contribute to Israeli violations of international law.
Jonathan Rosenhead, an Emeritus Professor at the London School of Economics and the head of the British Committee for Universities in Palestine, said, “Universities across Europe have entered into research consortia funded by the EU in good faith, only to find that their Israeli partners are involved grave breaches of international law.”
“The open letter that we are publishing today is a reflection of the frustration within the academic community at « the failure of the European Union to exclude Israeli companies and institutions that violate international law from European research funding programs. The EU must stop funding Israel’s subjugation of the Palestinian people,” he added.
“Members of the European parliament, academics, universities and Palestinian civil society have repeatedly stated their concerns about Israeli participation in EU funded research programs. The Commission now has to act,” said Rosenhead.
In January, leading UK scientists, the film directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach and the National Union of Students (NUS) hit the news with their criticisms of the participation of a London university and the Natural History Museum in a joint project with Ahava DSL. Both King’s College London and the Natural History Museum have since expressed their regret at their involvement in the project.
There are ongoing campaigns at more than a dozen European universities against collaboration with Ahava DSL and Israeli military companies.
Télécharger la version française de la lettre de l’AURDIP, BRICUP et d’autres organisations européennes de défense du droit international en Palestine au Commissaire Européen pour la Recherche
Maire Geoghegan-Quin
EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Brussells
Dear Maire Geoghegan-Quin,
10, July 2012
European Union research programs have become a key mechanism for the funding of research and the exchange of knowledge. However, the participation in these programs of private Israeli companies actively engaged in violating international law seriously undermines both the reputation of these programs and the stated goals of the European Union and its member states.
Ahava DSL is a private Israeli cosmetics company based in and partially owned by the council of an illegal Israeli settlement in occupied Palestinian territory. Through its participation in the EU’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7), Ahava DSL has been awarded €1.08m of EU research funding since 2008 [1]. Despite the concerns raised by MEPs and civil society, and assurances to the media that it would address the issue of Ahava’s participation, the European Commission has just allowed Ahava DSL to engage in a new project consortium that it is funding to the tune of €3.49m [2].
Two other participants in FP7 projects, Elbit Systems and Israeli Aerospace Industries, play an active role in the construction and maintenance of Israel’s Wall, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004 [3].
Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union obliges the EU to uphold human rights and to strictly observe and support the development of international law in all of its external relations.
By allowing companies that actively participate in and aid and assist with serious breaches of international law and maintain that such actions are legal to participate in FP7 projects, the EU is entrusting resources to companies that cannot be relied upon to use them in a manner in accordance with the EU’s own legal obligations.
Academics and institutions that participate in EU research programs depend on the good judgement of the European Commission. In lacing companies such as Ahava DSL and Elbit Systems on its list of approved research partners, the EU is recommending companies engaged in violations of international law as suitable research, exposing academics and institutions to reputational and economic risks.
As advocates of a just peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on international law, we call upon the European Commission to exclude such companies and institutions from receiving EU funding and to introduce new legislation that would prevent them from doing so. Violations of international law and universal human rights will surely continue for at least as long as institutions such as the EU provide funding to those that perpetrate them.
Please reply to: BRICUP, BM BRICUP, London WC1N3XX email: bricup@bricup.org.uk, www.bricup.org.uk
[1] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getAllAnswers.do?reference=P-2011-006190&language=EN
http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=FP7_PROJ_EN&QZ_WEBSRCH=ahava&QM_PJA=&USR_SORT=EN_QVD+CHAR+DESC
[2] http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/rcn/103074_en.html
[3] http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/pdf/contributions/post/palestinian_territory/stop_the_wall_campaign.pdf
Signatories
Nils Aarsæther, University of Tromsø, Norway
Paul Aarts, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ahmed Abbes, CNRS, France
Zohair Abu Shaban, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Gilbert Achcar, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK
Daniel Adam, Philosopher, France
Nadje Al-Ali, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK
Mateo Alaluf, Belgium
Blake Alcott, UK
Lori Allen, University of Cambridge, UK
Vanja Alling, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway
Ann-Kristin Alseth, Norway
Carlo Amirante, Università Federico II Napoli, Italy
Giuseppe Antonio Di Marco, Storia della filosofia, Italy
Giuseppe Aragno, Università « Federico II » di Napoli, Italy
Efrén Areskurrinaga, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Jon Arrizabalaga, IMF-CSIC, Spain
Dina Bacalexi, CNRS, France
Mona Baker, University of Manchester, UK
Andrea Balduzzi, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Etienne Balibar, Université de Paris-Ouest, France
Franca Balsamo, University of Turin, Italy
Angelo Baracca, University of Florence, Italy
Javier Barreda Sureda, Universidad de Alicante, Spain
Isaías Barreñada, Faculty of Political Science and Sociology, Spain
Aitor Bengoetxea, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Rudolf Bkourche, Université Lille 1, France
Sue Blackwell, Language Consultancy Desk, UK
Gianfranco Borrelli, Storia delle dottrine politiche, Italy
Jean-Pierre Boudine, France
Glenn Bowman, University of Kent, UK
Bill Bowring, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
Robert Boyce, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Marco Bozzo, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Vincenzo Brandi, Agency for New Technologies, Italy
Bob Brecher, University of Brighton, UK
Daniela Bredi, Università La Sapienza di Roma, Italy
Haim Bresheeth, University of East London, UK
Renato Briganti, Università Federico II Napoli, Italy
Christopher Burns-Cox, Emeritus Consultant Physician, UK
Ray Bush, University of Leeds, UK
Irene Calis, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Arantza Campos, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Diana Carminati, University of Turin, Italy
Marina Carter, University of Edinburgh, UK
James Carr, University of Limerick, Ireland
Kathleen Cavanaugh, Irish Centre for Human Rights, Ireland
Iain Chambers, Università Napoli ‘L’Orientale’, Italy
Christiane Charretton, France
Rachel Cohen, University of Surrey, UK
Peter Collins, St. Mary’s University College Belfast, UK
Francesco Cornacchia, Università « Aldo Moro » di Bari, Italy
Amedeo Cottino, University of Turin, Italy
Lidia Curti, Università di Napoli ‘L’Orientale’, Italy
Mike Cushman, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Lise Dalby, Sør Trøndelag University College, Norway
Simone D’Alessandro, University of Pisa, Italy
Dr Marc David, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium
Eric David, Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Sonia Dayan-Herzbrun, Université de Paris-7, France
Marc de Broe, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium
Lieven De Cauter, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Herman De Ley, Universiteit Gent, Belgium
Olivier De Schutter, Centre de Philosophie du Droit, Belgium
Patrick Deboosere, Department of Sociology, Belgium
Pascal Debruyne, Univerisiteit Gent, Belgium
Adele Del Guercio, Università degli Studi di Napoli « L’Orientale », Italy
Dominique Delande, CNRS, France
Federico Della Valle, University of Trieste, Italy
Claude Denisse, Agro Paris-Tech, France
Maria d’Erme, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Italy
Karel Dobbelaere, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven en Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium
Andrea Domenici, University of Pisa, Italy
Lars Drake, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Alfonso Dubois, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
John Dugard, Leiden University, Netherlands
Hans Ebbing, University of Bergen, Norway
Bertil Egerö, Lund University, Sweden
Ivar Ekeland, former President of Université Paris-Dauphine, France
Lars Ekstrand, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Zohair EL Gharras, Université de Rouen, France
Ingunn Elstad, University of Tromsø, Norway
Nina Emaus, University of Tromsø, Norway
Jan Engelen, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, Belgium
Palle Erben Jørgensen, Sør Trøndelag University College, Norway
Rafael Escudero, Carlos III University of Madrid, Spain
Luc Everley, Agro Paris-Tech, France
Giuseppi Ferraro, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy
Gaetano Fiore, Università « Federico II » di Napoli, Italy
Peter Fletcher, Keele University, UK
Dagfinn Føllesdal, University of Oslo, Norway
Lars Forsberg, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Giorgio Forti, Université de Milan, Italy
Benjamin Fortna, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK
Marie-Paule Fristot, Enseignante, France
Philippe Fritsch, Enseignant, France
Sancia Gaetani, Istituto Naz Ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione , Italy
Claire Gallen, Université Montpellier 3, France
Philip Gilligan, University of Bradford, UK
Luz Gomez García, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain
Marcial Gondar Portosany, Universida de de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Luc Goossens, ImaMS, Belgium
Hector Grad, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Sweden
Michel Gros, Université Rennes 1, France
Alain Guénoche, CNRS, France
Luis Guridi, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Jan-Erik Gustafsson, KTH, Sweden
Jeff Handmaker, Human Rights and Development, Netherlands
Barbara Harrell-Bond, University of Oxford, UK
Michael Harris, Université Paris 7, France
Laia Haurie, Université Polytechnique de Catalogne, France
Odile Helier, France
Kirsti Henriksen, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Norway
Aitor Hernández, Public Policies and Government Institute (IGOP), Spain
Juan Hernández, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Luisa Hirschbein, CNRS, France
Dr Aggie Hirst, University of Leeds, UK
Goretti Horgan, University of Ulster, UK
Richard Hudson, University College London, UK
Oddmar Iversen, Sør Trøndelag University College, Norway
Ferran Izquierdo, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Omar Jabary Salamanca, Ghent University, Belgium
Gunnar Jacks, KTH, Sweden
Nicole Kahn, France
Ghada Karmi, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, UK
Mehrnaz Katouzian-Safadi, CNRS, France
Adah Kay, The City University, London, UK
Paul Keleman, University of Manchester, UK
Dr Brian Kelly, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
Laleh Khalili, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK
David W. Kidner, Nottingham Trent University, UK
Annette Klepzig, Heidelberg University, Federal Republic of Germany
Hélène Korb, France
Dennis Kortheuer, California State University, Long Beach, USA
Thierry Labica, Université de Nanterre, France
Mertxe Larrañaga, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Eider Larrazabal, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Delphine Lautier, Université Paris-Dauphine, France
Zoë Lawlor, University of Limerick, Ireland
Béatrice Le Prioux, France
Les Levidow, Open University, UK
Morten Levin, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Malcolm Levitt, University of Southampton and Friend of the Royal Society, UK
Jean-Marc Levy-Leblond, Université de Nice, France
Matthias Lievens, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Ramón Lopez-Suevoz Fernández, Universidad Santiago de Compostela – Galizia, Spain
Yosefa Loshitzky, University of East London, UK
Domenico Losurdo, Università di Urbino, Italy
Fred Louckx, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
Michael Loughlin, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Peder M. Lysestøl, Sør Trøndelag University College, Norway
Moshé Machover, Kings College London, UK
Mauro Maggi, Istituto Italiano di Studi Orientali, Belgium
Paola Manduca, DISTAV, Italy
Raphael Manlay, Agro Paris-Tech, France
Zesar Martínez, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Dina Matar, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK
Chantal Meloni, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Alessandra Mezzadri, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK
Tariq Modood, Briston University, UK
Siri Moe, University of Tromsø, Norway
José Luis Moraguès, Montpellier UM3, France
Jacques Moriau, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Sergio Morra, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Jean-Hugues Morneau, Université Joseph Fourier, France
Javier Moya García, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Martha Mundy, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Stefano Nanni, Università di Bologna Alma Mater Studiorum, Italy
Mica Nava, University of East London, UK
Ketil Normann, University of Tromsø, Norway
Dr Ouali Nouria, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Francesca Odone, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Joseph Oesterlé, Université Paris 6, France
Josiane Olff-Nathan, France
Perrine Olff-Rastegar, France
Umberto Oreste, Istituto di Biochimica delle Proteine CNR, Italy
Paola Orsatti, Università La Sapienza di Roma, Italy
David Pegg, University of York, UK
Carmen Perez Gonzalez, Carlos III University of Madrid, Spain
Guy Perrier, Université de Lorraine, France
Antonello Petrillo, Università degli Studi S.O. Benincasa, Italy
Elisabeth Picard, CNRS, France
Eva Pisano, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Rossana Platone, Università degli studi di Milano, Italy
Nicola Pratt, University of Warwick, UK
M.A. Qavi, UK
Naomi Ramírez Diaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Shalini Randeria, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Rupert Read, University of East Anglia, UK
Matthias Reichl, Begegnungszentrum fuer active Gewaltlosigkeit, Austria
Luc Reychler, International Relations and European Policy, Belgium
Hermann Riess, Electro Riess Company, Austria
Valentina Ripa, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
Frank Roels, Ghent University, Belgium
Caroline Rooney, University of Kent, UK
Hilary Rose, Gresham College London, UK
Steven Rose, The Open University, UK
Jonathan Rosenhead, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Henri Rossi, France
Giampiero Ruani, Institute of Nanostructured Materials (CNR-ISMN), Italy
Marina Rui, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Pierre Scharpira, Université Paris 6, France
Andrea Schenone, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
Christiane Schomblond, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Lionel Schwartz, Université Paris 13, France
Richard Seaford, University of Exeter, UK
Ur Shlonsky, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Ludi Simpson, University of Manchester, UK
Subir Sinha, School of African and Oriental Studies, UK
Tore Sivertsen, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway
Knut Skjærvold, Sør Trøndelag University College, Norway
Eystein Skjerve, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway
Hilary Smith, Bradford University, UK
Elvira Souto, Universidad Santiago de Compostela – Galizia, Spain
Richard Stainton, UK
Eric Steegmans, Departement Computerwetenschappen, Belgium
Angelo Stefanini MD, Centre for International Health, Italy
Alexis Tadié, Université Paris 7, France
Rabah Tahraoui, Université de Rouen, France
Carlos Taibo, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Aina Tarabini, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
Ruth Tenne, H.M. Civil Service, UK
Tiziana Terranova, Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘L’Orientale’, Italy
Erika Torres Terrazas, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid,
Gérard Toulouse, Académie des Sciences, France
Julian Townshend, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Vincenzo Tradardi, Università di Parma, Italy
Dick Urban Vestbro, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, Sweden
Arantza Urkaregi, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Gie van den Berghe, Universiteit Gent, Belgium
Bernard Vandenbunder, CNRS, France
Christian Vandermotten, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Gianni Vattimo, University of Turin, Italy
Agustin Velloso, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia – UNED, Spain
Dominique Ventre, Telecom-Paris Tech, France
Gerd von der Lippe, Telemark University College, Norway
Liliane Voyé, Université Catholoique de Louvain, Belgium
Sean Wallis, University College London, UK
Dror Warschawsi, CNRS, France
Peter Waterman, Institute of Social Studies, Netherlands
Robert Wintemute, Kings College London, UK
Patrick Wolfe, La Trobe University, Australia
Hathem Zaag, CNRS, France
Patxi Zabalo, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country
Karim Zahidi, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium
Carl Zaisser, Austria
Federico Zanetti, Università di Perugia, Italy
Marco Zannetti, Università di Salerno, Italy
Dubravka Zarkov, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
Liesbeth Zegveld, Netherlands
Ettore Zerbino MD, Roma, Italy Slavoj Zizek, Philosopher, France
Anthony Tirado Chase, Occidental College, LA, US
Kamalain Sha’ath, The Islamic University – Gaza, Gaza
Rosemary Sayigh, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Samuel Noumoff, McGill University, Canada
Sondra Hale, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Antony Davies, Zambia School of Medicine, Zambia
Charles Harb, American University of Beirut, Lebanon