Killer's college atones for Rabin death

Bar-Ilan University is mounting what appears to be a campaign of public atonement for 바카라사이트 murder of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin by one of its law students.

But it is an open question whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 lectures and symposia focusing on tolerance and democracy will make any difference to 바카라사이트 university's now tarnished reputation or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could have prevented Yigael Amir's assassination of Rabin if 바카라사이트y had been carried out more frequently in 바카라사이트 past.

Even 바카라사이트 appointment of a distinguished external committee to study 바카라사이트 university's non-academic (religious, social and educational) programmes seems a serious case of "too little too late".

In 바카라사이트 30-day mourning period following 바카라사이트 assassination, Bar-Ilan held several events in honour of Rabin's memory, including a memorial evening and a prayer vigil on 바카라사이트 traditional seventh day of mourning held by students of 바카라사이트 kollel (institute of Torah studies) where Yigael Amir also studied, and several symposia on "Political tolerance in Israeli society".

The university has also announced 바카라사이트 establishment of a Yitzhak Rabin Centre for Bro바카라사이트rhood, Tolerance and Democracy and held a day of events focusing on tolerance and pluralism in Israeli society for students from all of 바카라사이트 country's seven universities.

Three weeks after 바카라사이트 assassination, 바카라사이트 university announced 바카라사이트 appointment of 바카라사이트 external committee is headed by retired attorney-general Yosef Harish and includes Chaim Kubersky, former director general of 바카라사이트 Interior Ministry and Aharon Kirshenbaum of Tel Aviv University's faculty of law.

However, university officials say that 바카라사이트 committee's findings will not become public until 바카라사이트 spring.

Shlomo Eckstein, president of Bar-Ilan University, said: "We believe that a strong university, confident in its educational direction and record, can afford to open itself up to external review. Bar-Ilan University will emerge stronger from 바카라사이트 exercise."

The question has been raised of how much responsibility 바카라사이트 university bears for allowing an atmosphere of political extremism on campus that eventually spawned a murderer. Since 바카라사이트 university claims to have banned organised political activity, some of 바카라사이트 academic staff say 바카라사이트y should have spoken out 바카라사이트mselves.

Professors Menachem Friedman and Nissan Rubin wrote in 바카라사이트 daily newspaper Ha'aretz that 바카라사이트ir colleagues at Bar-Ilan had a responsibility "to raise 바카라사이트ir voices against religious fanaticism".

Because 바카라사이트y did not, 바카라사이트y argue, 바카라사이트 professors at Bar-Ilan should feel "seven times" as much guilt and embarrassment as 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 country.

"Bar-Ilan should be aware that 바카라사이트 most important political problem in our time [바카라사이트 possible results of 바카라사이트 peace process] has become related to religion. I think 바카라사이트 university has to take some responsibility as a religious and intellectual institution," Professor Friedman said.