Chairman Shay Alon of the Beit El local council slammed the government on Sunday for its decision last week to approve the ENI CBCMED (Transboundary Cooperation Program in the Mediterranean Basin, aimed at financing projects costing tens of millions of euros for 14 non-European Union countries in the Middle East, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority), which was first reported in the B'Sheva newspaper. At the request of the EU, tens of millions of euros channeled to projects in the fields of culture, education, environmental sustainability and research technology, among others, will only go to centers that do not operate in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem or the Golan Heights.
Referring to Nazi practices during the Holocaust, Alon said, "Unfortunately, the Europeans are again conducting a selection for the Jews. It is impossible that the borders of the State of Israel will be determined in Brussels or Berlin." He added, "If it was decided to receive European funding for education and culture, then it should include the child from Beit El and Katzrin and also the child from Holon and Rishon Lezion without any difference." Alon concluded, "The Israeli government should have thrown this proposal of the Europeans into the trash and told them openly that it is not ready to accept this selection again."