ISRAEL: Universities prepare to strike

The Committee of University Heads in Israel launched a mass email last week to 150,000 students across the country, in which it states that "unfortunately under the current circumstances following negotiations with the Ministry of Finance, we cannot begin the academic year", reports Yaheli Moran Zelikovitch in Ynetnews.

The university heads explained the decision by stating: "The promises made by the Israeli government - that it would tackle the root of the problem and guarantee the survival of the (education) system for many years to come - have not been fulfilled. Negotiations with the Finance Ministry have not resulted in an accord that would enable the proper function of the universities." They also described the neglect and slow decline of higher education and research, and regretted that the education and life plans of students would suffer.

The letter adds that the strike announcement could still be withdrawn if circumstances are altered, expressing hopes that "the Israeli government will prevent the harm done to higher education for the third year in a row."
Full report on the Ynetnews site