The European Union’s executive body on Monday recommended curbing Israeli access to its flagship Horizon research funding program, after calls from EU countries to increase pressure on Israel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Multiple EU countries said last week that Israel was not living up to its commitments under an agreement with the European Union on increasing aid supplies to Gaza and asked the Commission to put concrete options on the table.

The proposal to partially suspend Israel’s participation in the Horizon Europe program needs approval from a qualified majority of EU countries to take effect – at least 15 of the EU’s 27 members, representing at least 65 percent of its population.

The European Commission said in a statement that the proposal comes as a reaction to a review of Israel’s compliance with the human rights clause of an agreement governing its relations with the EU.

The bloc’s diplomatic service said in June that there were indications that Israel had breached its obligations under the terms of the pact.

“While Israel has announced a daily humanitarian pause in Gaza fighting and has met some of its commitments under the common understanding on humanitarian aid and access, the situation remains severe,” the Commission said on Monday. “The proposed suspension is a targeted and reversible action.”

Brussels said the proposal would impact Israel’s participation in the bloc’s European Innovation Council Accelerator, thus halting access to funding for Israeli........

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