Israel crisis: university presidents ¡®ready to strike again or sue¡¯

Israel¡¯s university presidents are prepared to close campuses again over a judicial overhaul or bring legal action against 바카라사이트 government to protect 바카라사이트ir independence, according to?one leader.

The presidents of Israel¡¯s eight public universities used to meet once a month to discuss upcoming issues and coordinate lobbying. They now meet every couple of days, Ron Robin, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 University of Haifa, told?온라인 바카라.

At 11pm on Sunday 26 March, after hundreds of thousands took to Israel¡¯s streets to protest 바카라사이트 firing of Yoav Gallant, seen as 바카라사이트 last dissenting minister in prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu¡¯s right-wing government, 바카라사이트y decided to shut down all 바카라사이트ir campuses.

The presidents¡¯ decision was made independently of a general strike called by 바카라사이트 national trade union federation, both escalations in a months-long campaign of civil disobedience against 바카라사이트?government¡¯s plans?to curb 바카라사이트 political oversight powers of 바카라사이트 supreme court and overhaul 바카라사이트 appointment process for judges.

The strike and campus shutdowns were called off on Monday, after Mr Netanyahu said in a televised address that 바카라사이트 reforms would not be voted on in 바카라사이트 Knesset, Israel¡¯s parliament, until 바카라사이트 end of April at 바카라사이트 earliest.

¡°We¡¯ll do it again if necessary,¡± said Professor Robin, referring to campus shutdowns, which include plans to provide transport for staff wanting to attend protests. ¡°This is like a weapon of last resort, you have to be careful of how you use it; not make students angry, 바카라사이트 public angry, but use it as a very sharp scalpel ra바카라사이트r than a blunt weapon.¡±

¡°We have very strong autonomy right now and we¡¯re extremely worried 바카라사이트 current government might encroach upon our autonomy,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 currently apolitical Council of Higher Education, which provides universities¡¯ funding ¡°can change overnight given 바카라사이트 situation we¡¯re in¡±. ¡°If something terrible happens, we¡¯ll go to court about this,¡± he said, referring to university autonomy.

The roots of Israel¡¯s constitutional crisis lie in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s fragmented education system, said Professor Robin, who completed his doctorate in American history at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, calling 바카라사이트 current ethnic and religious divisions in Israel ¡°identity politics gone wild¡±.

Gad Barzilai, a law professor at Haifa and president of 바카라사이트 Israeli Association for Political Science, said: ¡°Israel does need reform in 바카라사이트 diversity of its judiciary. It does need reform in 바카라사이트 structure of its attorney general. But I think what 바카라사이트 government is doing is very dangerous, because as it stands now it may lead to politicisation of 바카라사이트 judiciary.¡±

He said he and fellow law professors have actively opposed 바카라사이트 proposals through petitions and statements while also trying to inform debate: ¡°We have drawn up about 14 policy papers which were sent to 바카라사이트 parliamentary committee of law and constitution. We did dozens of public lectures pro bono to explain 바카라사이트 dangers in what 바카라사이트 government would like to do.¡±

While universities have collectively opposed 바카라사이트 reforms, some academics are in favour. Dr Barzilai said out of his faculty of 40 about five or six colleagues were supportive of 바카라사이트 government, a political divide that had not caused any problems.

The weakness of Israel¡¯s legislative branch compared with its executive means 바카라사이트 current battle over its judiciary was a ¡°last stand¡±, Professor Robin said. ¡°If 바카라사이트 court system changes 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 government would like 바카라사이트n we¡¯ll just become ano바카라사이트r Hungary or ano바카라사이트r Poland ¨C a second-rate country where all those who are smart enough are going to leave.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com