NIEUWS NEDERLANDS PALESTINA KOMITEE

BAIRBRE DE BRÚN MEP has urged her colleagues in the European Parliament to vote to end the European Union’s funding towards Israeli companies which engage in military activities as long as Israel continues to break international human rights law.

An amendment by the Sinn Féin MEP put forward to the EU’s budget (co-signed by 40 members of the European Parliament from different countries and political groups) says:No company which conducts research for the Israeli military will receive funding under this title while Israel fails to comply with international human rights standards.

Speaking in Strasbourg, Bairbre de Brún said:Part of this funding, which is administered under the heading of ‘Directly financed research operations’, continues to go towards companies such as Israel Aerospace Industries, a major supplier of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and manufacturer of the ‘Heron’ unmanned aerial vehicle which was used extensively in the siege on Gaza. They receive €4million of EU funding.We must make sure that while Israel ignores international human rights law the EU sets an example and gives no money to companies which engage in either military research or the production of weapons.