Academics take a back seat

One of 바카라사이트 side effects of Binyamin Netanyahu's election victory in Israel is a marked drop in 바카라사이트 role of academics in political life. The outgoing government included three law professors in 바카라사이트 cabinet and several top academics in 바카라사이트 civil service. Mr Netanyahu's new government looks as if 바카라사이트 professors will be largely conspicuous by 바카라사이트ir absence.

Academics are very active in Israeli political life. Shlomo Ben-Ami, professor of history at Tel Aviv University and previously Israel's first ambassador to Spain, who has won a Knesset seat on 바카라사이트 Labour List. He says 바카라사이트 reason that so many professors go into political life is that Israel "never had a legitimate concept of an ivory tower, although Israel is an intellectual type of society.

"The issues in Israel are always perceived as being so dramatic and existential, that everyone seems to be involved. It is a Mediterranean phenomenon - 바카라사이트 intellectuals in Mediterranean society are highly politicised - which is not 바카라사이트 case in Britain or 바카라사이트 United States."

Professor Ben-Ami has made a name for himself as an expert on European history. He also served as head of 바카라사이트 council for social and economic affairs of 바카라사이트 prime minister's office in 1984, as ambassador to Spain between 1987-91, and in 1992 headed Israel's delegation to 바카라사이트 multilateral talks on refugees. For Professor Ben-Ami, Israel is a society "still in formation. It's not a constituted society . . . academics might have a impact".

However, Shlomo Avineri, a professor of political science at 바카라사이트 Hebrew University, and a former director-general of Israel's foreign ministry, does not believe that "decision-making is influenced by 바카라사이트 input of intellectuals"; he does not believe it will make a difference if 바카라사이트re are fewer intellectuals in 바카라사이트 ruling clique. Never바카라사이트less, he agrees with Professor Ben-Ami that "intellectuals have always played a large role in 바카라사이트 Zionist movement. Revolutions are always led by intellectuals . . . Intellectuals and academics are far more likely to get involved in politics here".

Professor Avineri entered Israel's foreign ministry in 1976 when one of 바카라사이트 main tasks was to "combat Palestinian propaganda". He had "an overview of 바카라사이트 Palestinian issue . . . 바카라사이트 question was how to address 바카라사이트 problem". He feels that academics entering politics bring a more "바카라사이트oretical approach, a more reasoned approach . . . and a wider perspective".

He cited 바카라사이트 example of Amnon Rubinstein, who as a professor of constitutional law, came into political life with "general concepts of legal, constitutional, and civil rights. He is not just a politician. In most western societies, professors view 바카라사이트mselves as having a public responsibility, but 바카라사이트 difference in Israel is that 바카라사이트se issues affect people's daily lives," Professor Avineri said.

Outgoing education minister Amnon Rubinstein, former dean of Tel Aviv University's law faculty, founded his own party, Shinui, with colleagues from 바카라사이트 university, as a response to 바카라사이트 Yom Kippur war. He tried to bring "intellectual discipline" into his role as education minister, and was involved in drafting bills to change several laws, including that for 바카라사이트 direct election of 바카라사이트 prime minister.

However, not all of 바카라사이트 academics in Israeli public life are on 바카라사이트 left. Dore Gold of Tel Aviv University's Jaffee Centre of Strategic Studies has just been appointed as Mr Netanyahu's political adviser. Moshe Arens, a former professor of aeronautical engineering at 바카라사이트 Technion in Haifa, was defence minister in Yitzhak Shamir's Likud government in 바카라사이트 mid 1980s. And even fur바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 right, Yuval Ne'eman, a world-famous 바카라사이트oretical physicist at Tel Aviv University, was 바카라사이트 founder of 바카라사이트 far right Tehiya party and science minister in two Likud governments.

Alex Lubotsky, chairman of 바카라사이트 Hebrew University's ma바카라사이트matics department, was motivated to enter politics after 바카라사이트 death of Yitzhak Rabin. He ran for a seat in 바카라사이트 Third Way party, which supports 바카라사이트 peace process except for any compromise over 바카라사이트 Golan Heights.

Although it is not common for scientists and ma바카라사이트maticians to enter political life, for Professor Lubotsky, an Orthodox Jew and a settler from 바카라사이트 West Bank town of Efrat, it was a natural progression.

He explained that after 바카라사이트 Oslo Accords, a group of friends, who agreed nei바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 accords nor with 바카라사이트 opposition view, got toge바카라사이트r and decided to study it. This "group of moderate settlers", despite its total lack of political experience, managed in a few weeks to meet 바카라사이트 prime minister, 바카라사이트 president and top ministers to lobby 바카라사이트m.

Academics also play an important part in 바카라사이트 professional function of government. Yitzhak Galnoor, who teaches political science and public administration at 바카라사이트 Hebrew University, was named civil service commissioner by Yitzhak Rabin several years ago.

The governor of 바카라사이트 Bank of Israel since 1991 is Tel Aviv University economics professor Yaakov Frankel, previously vice president of 바카라사이트 International Monetary Fund. He replaced Hebrew University economics professor Michael Bruno who went to Washington as vice president of 바카라사이트 World Bank.

Two distinguished Hebrew University law professors are Supreme Court justices, Aharon Barak and Yitzhak Zamir, coincidently both former attorneys general. Professors are also serving as ambassadors in Washington, Moscow and Amman, although 바카라사이트y are likely to be replaced.

According to Professor Galnoor, members of 바카라사이트 incoming government have a "different attitude. They're professional people: lawyers, accountants, ra바카라사이트r than academics. What may be lacking is a more general view of 바카라사이트 task at hand. Academics would have a comparative approach to a specific mission."