Prof. Ron Rubin attacked the conduct of the Minister of Higher Education and claimed: "Turkey is here" • After the attack he decided to resign • "Witnesses to paralysis attempts"

A sharp attack by the chairman of the University Council and the president of the University of Haifa, Professor Ron Rubin, against the Minister of Higher Education, Zeev Elkin, today (Tuesday), after which he decided to resign due to a claim against the new minister.

In a letter sent to faculty and students he wrote "Turkey is here". He said: "In recent weeks, under the scepter of the Higher Education Commissioner, Minister Zeev Elkin, we have witnessed paralyzing attempts by gatekeepers who believe in the future of science in the State of Israel."

According to him, what broke the camel's back was that Minister Elkin decided to remove Michal Neumann, acting director general of the Council for Higher Education, without justification. According to him, this is "the Holy of Holies whose role is to be the critical buffer between politics and science." In the letter: "We have known in the past struggles for freedom of expression and the independence of higher education, but fearless destruction driven by narrow political interests, we have not yet experienced."

In his letter, he calls for rebellion: "A difficult period requires difficult steps. Therefore, as a step of protest and out of a sense of real danger to the future of higher education in Israel, I decided to take a sharp step that no former chairman has taken - I decided to resign as chairman. Universities. I hope that in doing so, I will ignite the fire of rebellion among all the academic staff in Israel, the student body, and every person in the State of Israel whose future democracy, science, research, and freedom of thought are dear to his heart. "

This is not the first struggle between the universities and the Minister of Higher Education to emerge from the previous struggle with the upper hand, the previous struggle was against the background of the ban on holding frontal exams on campuses and the transition to online exams. Following requests from students that the institutions force them to come to be tested on campuses, thus endangering their health, the Minister of Higher Education and the chairman of the MLAG, Zeev Elkin, decided to promote online tests.

The Ministry of Health even issued an order banning frontal examinations for students in institutions of higher education - unless approved by the MLAG. University heads disliked the defeat, sharply attacked it and claimed it was "engaged in unnecessary provocations for political purposes." The universities eventually surrendered. And will hold only 10% of the exams on the campuses themselves - while previously they sought to hold about 50% -60% of the exams in a frontal manner.