Israel on Sunday announced it will join the European Union's "Creative Europe" program that promotes cultural cooperation between artists in member-nations.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The government approved the state's participation in the program through 2027 at a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, The Times of Israel reported.
Israel considers the program essential to increasing cooperation with Europe and developing Israel's cultural scene, the Foreign Ministry said.
"Creative Europe" offers around $2.6 billion every seven years toward films, visual art, literature, and other creative works. As part of the program, the EU will invest heavily in artists from Israel and across Europe who initiate cross-cultural events with each other.
The initiative, which will reportedly cost Israel nearly $1.7 million in yearly admission fees, is a way for Europe to promote its cultural sphere on the international stage, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
The agreement included a "territorial clause" that only recognized sovereign Israeli territories, The Jerusalem Post reported, something that angered groups and regional council heads in Judea and Samaria. As a result of the clause, Jewish communities in east Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Golan Heights will be excluded from the program.
"Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu, an expert on Israel-Europe relations, said, "As someone who prioritized improving Israel-EU relations from day one, this is the first, tangible step that Foreign Minister Yair Lapid can show."
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
