Two Dutch universities are taking part in a European research project alongside an Israeli academic who also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Israeli army, Trouw reported on Wednesday.

Professor Shahar Kvatinsky of the Technion, or Israel Institute of Technology, leads the Israeli research group within the €4.5 million EU-funded project, known as React.

The project, coordinated by the University of Groningen, aims to develop chip technology that can monitor its own energy efficiency, safety and reliability. Eleven universities are taking part, including Groningen and Eindhoven University.

According to Trouw, Kvatinsky has openly posted about his military activities on social media. This summer he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he had cancelled a research event to serve in Gaza as a reservist following an Israeli attack on Iran.

Photos on his Facebook page in 2023 and 2024 also show him in uniform in front of destroyed buildings, and in one image he is pictured with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The newspaper also reported that Kvatinsky’s name appeared on a letter signed by several Israeli officers in January, urging the military not to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

He has denied signing the document, telling Trouw that he was called up for reserve duty after the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and that his academic work is entirely separate from his military service.

Earlier this year, TU Eindhoven suspended its cooperation with Technion because of the Israeli university’s ties to the army and announced a new committee to assess “sensitive collaborations”.

However, the university told NOS that the current project would continue, as it involves cooperation between departments rather than at institutional level.  The university added that there was no risk of “serious human rights violations” linked to the project, though its new committee will first review all collaborations with Israeli institutions, including React.

Dual use

The University of Groningen has not cut ties with Israeli universities and said it was unaware of Kvatinsky’s army role. “If concerns arise about potential dual-use our advisory team on knowledge security and sensitive partnerships will review the risks on a case-by-case basis,” the university said.

Student groups in several Dutch cities have protested in recent years against university links with Israeli institutions, calling for all collaborations to be suspended because of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The University of Amsterdam announced on Wednesday that it will not enter into any new partnerships with Israeli institutions and will explore legal options for withdrawing from ongoing research projects involving Israeli scientists.

Continuing research

According to June research by investigative website Follow the Money, eight Dutch universities are still involved in 28 research projects funded by European subsidies which “could end up with the Israeli army”.

Twelve of these projects, which have both civilian and military uses, began after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, FTM said.

Weapons experts told FTM that Delft is working on seven dual use projects with Israeli partners, while Eindhoven is involved in eight.