Israel has decided not to partner with an EU cultural program because it includes an article banning cooperation with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, QudsPress reported yesterday.

QudsPress said that Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported the Israeli Cultural Minister Miri Regev saying: “Tel Aviv is not obliged to continue being a partner with a project it does not agree with. Any international deal must include the Judea and Samaria [West Bank].”

The newspaper noted that the EU proposed Israel participate in the program in 2013 and Tel Aviv accepted the proposal in 2014 including paying worth €280 million ($302 million) this year. The terms of the drive included a ban on carrying out activities in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Jerusalem, West Bank and Golan Heights.

(MEMO, PC)