Report: EU Is the Main Participant in "Israels" Military Program

The Electronic Intifada reported that a leading "Israeli" supplier of warplanes used to kill and maim civilians in Gaza is in the running for two new scientific research grants from the European Union.

A report the website published on Monday, revealed the strong EU financial support on "Israeli" military production, and common EU and "Israeli" military projects.

Although human rights groups have calculated that the Heron (an unmanned aerial vehicle) and other drones killed a big number of civilians in the "Israeli" war on Gaza, EU officials approved the release of fresh finance to the Heron's manufacturer, "Israel" Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Two projects involving IAI have recently passed the evaluation stages of a call for proposals under the EU's multi-annual program for research, which has been allocated 53 billion Euros ($64 billion dollars) for the 2007-2013, the report stated.

The European Commission has confirmed that IAI is one of 34 "Israeli" partners involved in 26 EU-funded projects for information technology that are under preparation.

One of the largest industrial firms in "Israel", Afcon is among other "Israeli" firms being considered for such funding. Afkon is a supplier of metal detectors to military checkpoints in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Erez crossing between the northern end of Gaza and the occupied lands.

The firm was also awarded a contract in 2008 for installing a security system in a light rail project designed to connect illegal "Israeli" settlements in East Jerusalem with the city center.

"Israel" is the main foreign participant in EU's science program. Zionist Officials say they expect "Israeli" firms and research institutes will receive around 500 million Euros ($621 million) from the program by the time of its conclusion.

In late 2008, the EU's 27 governments agreed to an "Israeli" request that the relationship should be "upgraded", so that "Israel" could have deeper involvement in a wide range of the Union's activities.

While the European Commission claims that all of its scientific research cooperation with "Israel" is civilian in nature, the "Israeli" government publicized "the umbilical links between the country's thriving technology sector and its military."