Israeli academic warns of “irreversible damage”

A top Israeli academic has said the country must sign an agreement to participate in Horizon 2020 and has warned of “irreversible damage” if the country fails to join.

In comments carried in the Jerusalem Post, Professor Ruth Arnon, president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities stated her concerns to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Writing to the Prime Minister, Arnon said she had the “obligation to turn to you to prevent steps that are liable to cause fatal, irreversible damage to Israel’s scientific co-operation with the EU.

“It is not just a financial benefit. For money, a replacement can always been found. But there is no substitute for the benefit coming from scientific co-operation with the EU – of its research institutes and of our knowledge-intensive industry. Mutual exposure of the scientific and industrial system here to the European system brings about precious added value,” she added.

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities advises the government and Knesset concerning science and technology. The country is currently in negotiations with the European Commission regarding its participation in the replacement for FP7 after Brussels announced new Settlement Guidelines concerning the spending of EU funds in the Occupied Territories during the summer. Israel is the only non-EU member state invited to fully participate in Horizon 2020.

Arnon added that Israel “must sign the agreement to remain in the game,” and that “in the name of the Israeli scientific community, I appeal to you and the government to do so.”

Israeli would be expected to contribute €600m to Horizon 2020, though expected to receive €900m in research funds and other investments as a result of its participation. Arnon is set to present a report investigating the consequences of the decline in Israeli scientific and academic research this week to Knesset Science and Technology Committee.