Nearly half a billion euros” in EU grants to start-ups run by ex-IDF soldiers since start of Gaza war fact check

1. Summary of the results

The claim that nearly half a billion euros in EU grants have been awarded to start-ups run by ex-IDF soldiers since the start of the Gaza war is partially supported by the analyses provided. A source from The Grayzone ^[1] reports that the EU Horizon Europe programme has allocated roughly €475 million to Israeli start‑ups and research projects since October 2023, many run by former IDF personnel, thereby supporting the claim of ‘nearly half a billion euros’ in grants since the Gaza war began ^[1]. However, other sources, such as ^[2] and ^[3], do not provide specific figures for grants to start-ups run by ex-IDF soldiers, but mention EU funding for Israeli research projects and companies, including those involved in military technology ^{[2] [3]}. Another source, ^[3], reveals that millions of euros in EU funding have gone to Israeli companies that develop technology with potential military applications, but does not specifically mention start-ups run by ex-IDF soldiers ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

• The original statement lacks context about the specific start-ups and research projects that have received EU grants, as well as the potential military applications of the funded technologies ^[3].
• Alternative viewpoints, such as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the opposition from some EU countries to suspending funding for Israeli startups, are not considered in the original statement ^{[4] [5]}.
• The beneficiaries of the EU grants, including the start-ups and research projects, as well as the potential consequences of funding technologies with military applications, are not fully explored in the analyses ^{[2] [3] [1]}.
• The timeframe of the EU grants, specifically since the start of the Gaza war, is not consistently considered across the analyses, with some sources providing information on funding since 2014 or 2021 ^{[3] [1]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading due to the lack of specificity and context about the EU grants and the start-ups that have received them ^{[2] [3]}. The statement may also be biased towards emphasizing the amount of EU funding for Israeli start-ups, without considering the broader implications of such funding, including the potential military applications and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza ^{[4] [5]}. The sources that support the claim, such as The Grayzone ^[1], may have a vested interest in highlighting the EU's funding of Israeli military technology, while other sources, such as ^[3], may have a more nuanced view of the issue, highlighting the complexity of EU funding for Israeli companies ^[3]. Overall, the original statement may benefit from a more balanced and contextualized presentation of the information, considering multiple viewpoints and potential biases ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [1]}.