{"id":610477,"date":"2026-09-09T08:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T08:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/610477\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T08:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T08:04:10","slug":"scientific-diplomacy-israel-europe-cooperation-feted-at-presidents-residence-in-jerusalem-israel-jewish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/610477\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientific diplomacy: Israel-Europe cooperation feted at President\u2019s Residence in Jerusalem – Israel & Jewish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Sept. 9, 2026 \/ JNS)\n <\/p>\n

At a time when Israel\u2019s relations with parts of Europe are under increasing political strain, Israeli and European diplomats, researchers and innovators gathered Tuesday at the President\u2019s Residence in Jerusalem to celebrate a very different kind of relationship\u2014one built on science.<\/p>\n

The Horizon Europe Award Ceremony, jointly hosted by ISERD, the Israel-Europe R&D Directorate of the Israel Innovation Authority, and the European Union Delegation to Israel, recognized Israeli researchers, companies and institutions whose projects have won highly competitive Horizon Europe grants.<\/p>\n

But beyond the awards, the gathering offered a reminder that scientific cooperation continues even when political relations are strained.<\/p>\n

\u201cScientific diplomacy\u201d was a recurring theme, describing partnerships and adding to the story of countries working together to build resilience\u2014a story that is \u201cstill being written.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horizon Europe is the European Union\u2019s \u20ac95.5 billion research and innovation program for 2021\u20132027. Israel, though not an EU member, participates as an associated country, allowing eligible Israeli researchers, universities and companies to compete for funding and collaborate with European partners.<\/p>\n

Israel has participated in European research framework programs since 1996. Over three decades, the cooperation has generated more than 5,000 joint projects involving thousands of Israeli researchers and companies.<\/p>\n

Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel pointed to that history during the ceremony, citing more than 5,000 joint projects, more than 6,000 Israeli participants and more than 1,000 companies involved in the broader cooperation, representing billions of euros in research activity.<\/p>\n

But she also emphasized what is happening now.<\/p>\n

Despite the upheaval caused by the war and difficulties surrounding Israeli participation in parts of European academia, she said, 140 collaborations were awarded during the past year.<\/p>\n

The numbers, she suggested, tell a story of continuity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not just about funding,\u201d was the message running through her remarks. \u201cIt is about cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n

That cooperation has practical consequences, from Israeli expertise in water and agricultural technology to medical research, advanced technology and the exchange of doctoral students and researchers.<\/p>\n

A short video at the ceremony put a human face on the numbers, highlighting innovations emerging from Israeli-European collaborations. One example was coffee grown from cells in a laboratory, an eye-catching glimpse of how scientific research can move from the lab toward solutions for future challenges.<\/p>\n

EU Ambassador to Israel Michael Mann, who has served in Israel since September 2025, told JNS before the ceremony that he was pleased to be marking the partnership at the President\u2019s Residence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is 30 years of fantastic cooperation between the European Union and Israel in research and innovation,\u201d Mann said, describing participation in Horizon Europe as \u201cvery useful for Israel and Europeans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it continues for years to come,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Mann emphasized that the relationship produces economic benefits as well as benefits for society, while stressing the importance of a positive agenda and academic freedom.<\/p>\n

The European diplomatic presence at the ceremony underscored the breadth of that cooperation. Ambassadors and heads of mission from Portugal, Finland, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, among others, attended the event.<\/p>\n

Millo Potsonen, Finland\u2019s deputy head of mission, told JNS afterward that the challenges facing Europe and Israel make scientific cooperation particularly important.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe challenges we are facing\u201d require joint solutions, he said. \u201cAcademic, science and research collaboration is required; there are no borders.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony\u2019s panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Nati Bloch Damati, included Mann, Israel Innovation Authority CEO Dror Bin and ISERD Managing Director Shlomi Kofman, who discussed Horizon Europe\u2019s achievements and the future of the partnership.<\/p>\n

The discussion highlighted collaborations between European countries and Israeli startups, as well as the role of international research cooperation in economic security, resilience and building trust between countries and communities.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Israeli<\/p>\n

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, center, with researchers, innovators and officials attending the Horizon Europe Award Ceremony at the President\u2019s Residence in Jerusalem on Sept. 8, 2026. Photo by Sharon Altshul.<\/p>\n

For Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the gathering also carried historical significance.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the beginning of the ceremony, Herzog acknowledged the forces currently seeking to pull Israel and Europe apart before turning to the history of European scientific cooperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cEurope\u2019s modern story is itself a testament to the power of choice,\u201d he said. \u201cOn a continent scarred by the horrors of extremism and war, scientific cooperation became an expression of commitment to peace and the sustainable future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Europe, he noted, had descended into the catastrophe of the Holocaust. Yet the continent also experienced extraordinary rebuilding. Israel and Europe subsequently developed a relationship in which science became a bridge between them.<\/p>\n

Herzog recalled Albert Einstein, who entrusted his intellectual legacy to the Jewish national home, where it is preserved today at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

The president\u2019s remarks then moved from the history of scientific cooperation to the diplomatic tensions of the present, including Britain\u2019s announcement of trade sanctions related to Israeli settlements. The contrast was striking.<\/p>\n

Inside the President\u2019s Residence, European and Israeli representatives were celebrating three decades of scientific cooperation. Outside, political disagreements continue to test Israel\u2019s relationship with European governments.<\/p>\n

Yet the researchers recognized at the ceremony represented something more enduring than a diplomatic statement.<\/p>\n

They demonstrated that scientists continue to work together across borders, sharing knowledge, developing technologies and tackling challenges that no country can solve alone.<\/p>\n

As Kofman put it, the story of scientific diplomacy is not finished. It is still being written.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(Sept. 9, 2026 \/ JNS) At a time when Israel\u2019s relations with parts of Europe are under increasing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":610478,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[85,46,43],"class_list":["post-610477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610477"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610477\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/610478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}