EU's Horizon-suspension sanction for Israel 'a bad joke', says Borrell

Suspending Israel's access to the bloc’s Horizon research programme is a “bad joke” in the face of the atrocities unfolding in Gaza, former EU top diplomat Josep Borrell told EUobserver during an interview in Madrid. “If this is the only response the European Commission is capable of in the face of what Israel is doing, it’s a joke. A bad joke. And EU member states have not even been able to approve it,” he said. The proposal, presented by the European Commission earlier this week, will cover the access of small businesses in Israel to the European Innovation Council accelerator, a €10.1bn programme. But, according to Borrell, this does not hit Israel’s core interests. “There are many more significant things that could be done,” he said, arguing that the commission should propose the suspension of the trade agreement with Israel, which could see Israel lose €1bn per year in EU trade perks.