RESOLUTION - Strengthening the inclusion of Israel in European youth and academic programmes

Preamble:

Israel is a democracy, a global innovation hub, and home to a diverse, pluralistic society. It maintains close historical, cultural, and political ties with Europe and has been an associated partner in numerous EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, Creative Europe, and Erasmus+. These programmes are key tools for building bridges between young people across borders, and they foster academic collaboration, youth exchange, and democratic values. Yet, despite Israel’s participation in some European frameworks, Israeli students, young academics, youth NGOs, and educational institutions face growing barriers to full and equal participation in EU youth programmes. Political pressure, boycotts, discriminatory exclusions, and ambiguous administrative hurdles increasingly isolate Israeli youth from their European counterparts.

Especially in the wake of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiment on European campuses and within civil society, there is a pressing need to reinforce educational and cultural links, not weaken them. Jewish student unions must play an active role in ensuring that Israeli youth are not excluded from European educational spaces and that bilateral ties between Israel and Europe are strengthened, not politicised.

EUJS notes that:

1. Israel is currently an associated partner of Erasmus+ but not a full participant. Most Israeli universities are unable to receive or send students through standard EU mechanisms.
2. The Erasmus+ 2021–2027 strategy includes a strong focus on youth inclusion, social diversity, and building connections with partner countries, all of which apply to Israel.
3. As of 2025, only 5 Israeli institutions are actively participating in Erasmus+ consortia, despite the country's advanced academic sector.
4. Boycott campaigns (e.g., BDS) continue to lobby against Israeli inclusion in academic and cultural exchanges, sometimes resulting in cancellations of joint projects or informal exclusions. 
5. Jewish and Israeli students report a hostile climate at most European universities, including pressure to disavow ties with Israeli institutions.

EUJS believes that:

1. Youth exchanges, academic cooperation, and cultural dialogue are central to building peace, understanding, and democratic resilience and must never become politicised tools of exclusion.
2. No student should be excluded from European youth programmes due to their nationality, religious identity, or geopolitical pressures. 
3. Inclusion of Israeli youth in European programmes directly contributes to pluralism, academic excellence, and the fight against extremism. 
4. EUJS, as a representative of Jewish youth in Europe, has a special role in promoting engagement with Israeli partners and standing against cultural boycotts.

EUJS resolves to:

1. Advocate for the full inclusion of Israel in Erasmus+ and other EU youth, academic, and cultural programmes, both at the EU institutional level and through national student unions.
2. Raise awareness among European student bodies about the current barriers to Israeli participation and counter misinformation that fuels unjust exclusions.
3. Build even stronger partnerships between Jewish student unions in Europe and Israeli student organisations to develop common initiatives under EU programmes.
4. Engage with European Parliament members and the European Commission, urging them to simplify access for Israeli institutions to Erasmus+ calls; include Israel in all future youth mobility and cooperation frameworks; and condemn any discriminatory practice in educational settings.
5. Develop and support campaigns within European academic networks that promote exchange and cooperation with Israeli universities and student organisations. 
6. Condemn efforts by civil society actors that pressure EU institutions to exclude Israel from academic, youth, or cultural projects on the basis of antisemitic campaigns such as BDS. 
7. Ensure that antisemitism in the form of anti-Israel discrimination is addressed explicitly within Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, and related programmes using the IHRA definition as a reference for safeguarding inclusion.
8. Push for regular EU–Israel Youth formats, co-funded by the EU, to allow young people from both sides to meet, collaborate, and share solutions on climate, innovation, inclusion, and security.

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