Questions over the future of UK-Israeli research ties have been raised amid the ongoing blockade of Gaza, which has already led to the European Union beginning a review into Israel’s participation in Horizon Europe. The UK has enjoyed close research links to Israel for many years, with a £20 million framework for developing academic and research and development ties agreed in March 2023. Since then, several UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) programmes have encouraged researchers from the two countries to work together, while UK-Israel research projects have received funding from the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), which also supports exchange placements for Israeli and UK academics. Concerns over jointly funded research projects involving Israel come after it emerged that Israeli defence firms have benefited from some of the 130 Horizon Europe projects involving Israeli researchers approved since the October 2023 attacks. “If you shut down research ties through boycotts then you also close down conversations with places that are a democratic space [for dissent],” continued Freedman.

Source: The Times June 06, 2025 11:44 UTC