Another pro-Hamas university being funded by the Commission

Priority question for written answer P-001922/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Fabrice Leggeri (PfE)

On 30 September 2024[1], LeJournal du Dimanche reported that the Commission has once again provided funding to a pro-Hamas university through the Erasmus+ programme. The EU had previously given funds to the Islamic University of Gaza, which some call the 'Hamas campus'.

This time, the Commission has handed over funds to a Turkish university whose rector paid tribute to the 'martyr' Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader killed by an Israeli airstrike on 31 July 2024. It seems that there was no problem with that, since the Commission renewed its Erasmus+ partnership with the university shortly thereafter, for the third consecutive year.

On 12 September 2024, the university in question even announced that it was to lead a research project funded entirely by the Commission - to the tune of EUR 250 000 - in a partnership with several European universities. A few days later, it was approved to take part in the European Solidarity Corps, a Commission-run international volunteer programme for young people who want to get involved in solidarity projects.

Does the Commission plan to put an end to its partnerships with this university - whose rector paid tribute to the 'martyr' Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader - and stop financing Islamism in this way?

Submitted: 2.10.2024

• [1] https://www.lejdd.fr/societe/erasmus-lunion-europeenne-sous-le-feu-des-critiques-pour-avoir-integre-une-universite-pro-hamas-150023