European Friends of Israel

EFI's organizational model centered on linking Israel-friendly parliamentary groups in European countries with supporters in the European Parliament. In 2014, chairman Marek Siwiec wrote that EFI welcomed differing views rather than demanding "blind obedience to the Israeli government line."[2]

Profiles published in 2014 and 2015 attributed to EFI relationship-building with lawmakers, monitoring legislation affecting Israel–EU relations, counter-boycott advocacy, awareness campaigns concerning Iran's nuclear program, and support for trade, research, and scientific cooperation.[3][5]

EFI was established in 2006 by European parliamentarians.[1] A Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs article later described its establishment as a first step in organizing Israel's supporters within European legislative bodies.[6] The article's footnote cited a Ynetnews report titled "Gala Launches ‘European Friends of Israel,’" dated September 14, 2006.[6]

A 2014 account described EFI as focusing primarily on elected representatives and bringing together Israel-friendly parliamentary groups from EU member states with supporters in the European Parliament. It identified a Steering Committee composed of chairmen of major parliamentary associations and a European Parliament Political Board whose members came from varied political and geographical backgrounds.[2] Vladimir Sloutsker, co-founder and president of the Israeli Jewish Congress, was described as chairman of EFI's Management Board, while Marek Siwiec was identified as EFI's chairman after replacing Gunnar Hökmark in September 2011.[2][3] Fiamma Nirenstein was identified as a board member.[7]

Published membership figures varied from about 1,000 in one 2014 account to more than 1,500 in other 2014–2015 profiles. The sources do not explain whether the difference reflected timing, membership definitions, or estimates.[2][3]

EFI organized a large pro-Israel conference in Paris in November 2008, attended by close to a thousand members of parliament from 27 EU member countries.[4] Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik delivered a keynote address urging European lawmakers to help preserve Israel's security and to organize parliamentary petitions calling for the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. She warned that if terrorist groups obtained nuclear weapons from Iran, they could target Paris, London, and New York.[4]

In January 2011, Globes reported that EFI was planning a four-day conference in Jerusalem for early February, with approximately 500 European parliamentarians expected to attend. The planned program included meetings with Israeli leaders, visits to tourist sites and major factories, and presentations of Israeli capabilities in high-tech, biotech, media-tech, and water technology.[8] A World Jewish Congress account published on February 7 subsequently reported that around 400 parliamentarians from 37 European countries attended a three-day EFI policy conference in Jerusalem.[1]

Former heads of state and government at the Jerusalem gathering included Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland, José Maria Aznar of Spain, and George Vassiliou of Cyprus. Participants met Israeli President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, while the agenda addressed boycott threats, terrorism, and European–Israeli political and economic relations.[1]

Globes connected the planned conference's importance to the European Parliament's expanded role under the Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force on December 1, 2009. The treaty gave the Parliament approval authority over trade agreements and other significant trade decisions, making relationships with its members increasingly important for Israel.[8]

In a 2014 opinion article, Siwiec described EFI's activities as developing parliamentary initiatives to build support for Israel, conducting counter-boycott and public-relations work, inviting Israeli parliamentarians to exchange information with European counterparts, and organizing conferences, hearings, and exhibitions. He said EFI sought a fair hearing for Israel while recognizing that positions in European institutions ranged from support to indifference or hostility.[2]

Michel Gur-Ari, identified by Globes as director-general of the parliamentary lobby for Israel in Europe, described a lobbying effort surrounding an Israel–EU civil aviation cooperation agreement during Operation Cast Lead. He said opponents sought to use the ratification vote to punish Israel, while the lobby argued that rejection would also harm European and Israeli travelers. The agreement passed with 455 votes in favor and 116 against or abstaining.[8]

A 2014 profile attributed to EFI involvement in EU–Israel initiatives concerning the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA), Horizon 2020, and green energy cooperation.[5] Globes described ACAA, then awaiting European Parliament ratification, as providing mutual recognition of pharmaceutical manufacturing inspections and certifications and reducing trade barriers and testing costs for Israeli pharmaceutical exporters.[8]

The same 2014 profile attributed to EFI lobbying concerning the EU's designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. It also reported that EFI and the Israeli Jewish Congress helped relaunch the European Forum of the Knesset and that EFI led European parliamentarians and a Knesset delegation to Auschwitz.[5]

On November 11, 2014, EFI organized an event at the European Parliament in Brussels titled "Is EU Aid going to Hamas?", hosted by German MEP Arne Gericke.[9] NGO Monitor reported that its president, Gerald Steinberg, addressed a full room of MEPs, political advisers, and other functionaries concerning EU aid to NGOs active in the Arab–Israeli conflict. NGO Monitor said several MEPs expressed concern about the presentation and intended to promote greater accountability and transparency within EU funding frameworks.[9]

EFI operated in a setting where the European Parliament had gained approval authority over trade agreements and other consequential trade decisions under the Treaty of Lisbon. Israeli officials therefore viewed sustained relationships with parliamentarians as increasingly important to Israel's economic and diplomatic interests.[8]

The Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs characterized EFI's establishment as a first step in organizing Israel's supporters across Europe and said that the group united hundreds of parliamentarians.[6] At EFI's 2011 Jerusalem conference, sponsor Alexander Machkevitch argued that Israelis and Europeans shared values of freedom, democracy, and social responsibility and called for solidarity with Israel against what he described as a campaign to delegitimize the Jewish state.[1]

Gur-Ari argued that Israel's research and development expertise offered a concrete contribution to Europe and that economic cooperation could bring the two sides closer despite political obstacles.[8] He also said that more than 20% of Israeli exporters reported being affected in some way by sanctions or boycott campaigns, citing protests involving Israeli agricultural products and businesses associated with Israel.[8]

A 2015 profile described EFI as cultivating relationships with parliamentary supporters and potential allies, monitoring legislation affecting Israel–EU relations, and seeking to ensure that Israel's perspective was represented when European lawmakers considered matters involving trade, research, security, and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[3]

Several claims associated with EFI rest on the organization's own account or on favorable profiles rather than independently corroborated findings. At the 2008 Paris conference, EFI claimed that 2,000 of Europe's 6,000 parliamentarians supported Israel and had expressed interest in its initiatives; Ynet presented those figures explicitly as EFI's estimate.[4] Accounts crediting EFI with contributions to the EU's Hezbollah designation and various bilateral agreements likewise do not establish the precise extent of its role relative to other actors.[5]

NGO Monitor asserted at the 2014 European Parliament event that EU funds had reached Hamas or other terrorist groups through inadequately supervised NGOs. The cited source presents these as NGO Monitor's own claims rather than independently verified conclusions.[9] EFI's advocacy concerning BDS, Iran's nuclear program, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and products from disputed territories also addresses politically contested subjects for which the available profiles primarily present EFI's perspective.[2][3]