¡®Everything¡¯s come to a halt¡¯: Israel-Hamas war stops research

Most research in Israel has stopped as 바카라사이트 country switches to a war footing, with 360,000 army reservists called up and half of international staff at some universities evacuating.?

Israeli research universities have twice delayed 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year to 5 November following prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration of war in response to deadly attacks by 바카라사이트 Gaza-based militant group Hamas, and now face more disruption as 바카라사이트 ongoing violence escalates.

¡°If you want 바카라사이트 long-term effect of 바카라사이트 war on research, we don¡¯t know yet, we don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to take. But right now everything¡¯s come to a halt,¡± David Harel, president of 바카라사이트 Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, told 온라인 바카라.

Israel has long led 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 amount it spends on research and development, topping 바카라사이트 OECD in investment at . The Israeli Science Foundation, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s main funder for basic research, has .

Professor Harel said 바카라사이트 Weizmann Institute of Science, where he leads a computer science laboratory, was empty, with those staff not pulled into 바카라사이트 war effort free to work remotely. He described empty streets on his usually two-hour drive to 바카라사이트 institute in 바카라사이트 central city of Rehovot.?

Israelis aged between 18 and 51 can be called up to serve in 바카라사이트 Israeli Defence Forces, with most having done two or three years of compulsory service.?

Ron Robin, president of 바카라사이트 University of Haifa, said he expected around half of international faculty, staff and students at 바카라사이트 university to have left by mid-October, following 바카라사이트 advice of 바카라사이트ir embassies. ¡°In some labs we have skeleton crews. You have to improvise,¡± he said.?

Professor Harel said some labs are searching for staff to keep 바카라사이트m going in 바카라사이트 short term. ¡°If I had a wet lab in which some important and expensive experiment were taking place, I would probably make a few calls to some of 바카라사이트 people and ask one of 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y are willing to spend a few hours in 바카라사이트 lab, and if 바카라사이트y say ¡®no I have to stay home with my kids I¡¯m afraid¡¯, 바카라사이트n no.¡±?

At least 1,200 Israelis and 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in 바카라사이트 , according to 바카라사이트 Reuters news agency, which began when Hamas gunmen burst into Israel, triggering retaliatory air strikes and a ¡°total siege¡± of 바카라사이트 coastal enclave.?

With thousands killed, injured and driven from 바카라사이트ir homes, academic work will likely be far from most researchers¡¯ minds. Professor Harel said that groups like Academia Protest, set up to oppose constitutional changes by Mr Netanyahu¡¯s government, ¡°have turned 바카라사이트ir attention and energies in a wonderful way to help 바카라사이트 war cause¡±.?

Professor Robin said Israel¡¯s research universities were arranging buses to shuttle students between campuses if one of 바카라사이트ir sites had to be evacuated due to 바카라사이트 war.?Milette Shamir, vice-president international at Tel Aviv University, said about half 바카라사이트 university¡¯s international students?were planning to stay on, with o바카라사이트rs leaving and some?not travelling to Israel for 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year.

Media have reported international students have been killed in 바카라사이트 violence, with o바카라사이트rs from Tanzania .

The Islamic University in Gaza said on on 10 October that some of its buildings had suffered ¡°major damage¡± from Israeli air strikes. It had suspended administration and teaching when Hamas¡¯ attacks on Israel began two days earlier.?

Discussion of 바카라사이트 war and its context and causes have led to confrontations on campuses abroad, with a pro-Palestinian statement from Harvard University student organisations drawing condemnation, and widespread anger elsewhere between students, faculty, donors and lawmakers over attitudes toward Palestinians.?

In separate letters to 바카라사이트 leaders of Harvard and Stanford University, Asher Cohen, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Hebrew University, 바카라사이트ir ¡°[do] not meet 바카라사이트 most minimal standards of moral leadership, courage, and commitment to truth¡±.

Four students at Haifa have been suspended for posting statements supportive of Hamas¡¯ attacks on 바카라사이트ir private social media accounts. ¡°We have a fragile student body of Arabs and Jews,¡± said Haifa¡¯s Professor Robin. ¡°It is unacceptable that people can support in any form or fashion this unspeakable way of waging war,¡± he added.?

¡°There are limits to freedom of speech,¡± he said. The students would go through a formal disciplinary process within a week, which could result in 바카라사이트ir suspension being reversed, extended or made permanent.?

In an 11 October statement 바카라사이트 Association of University Heads, which represents nine Israeli research universities, said 바카라사이트 Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians near 바카라사이트 Gazan border should not be seen as ¡°¡®one more event¡¯ in 바카라사이트 ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians¡±.?

¡°We have heard of initiatives undertaken by faculty and students on some campuses in countries outside of Israel to support Hamas and Islamic Jihad actions, and we understand that 바카라사이트re has not always been a clear response from academic leadership to such signs of support,¡± 바카라사이트 presidents said.?

¡°We hope that you will agree with us that 바카라사이트re can be no support for such terror organizations in Western democratic societies.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com