Education Minister Dr. Yifat Shasha Bitton announced today (Thursday) that she has decided not to award the Israel Prize in Mathematics and Computer Science Research to Professor Goldreich.
The decision stems from the signing of a petition calling for a boycott of Ariel University.
The main purpose of the Israel Prize is to encourage Israeli creativity, excellence and research.
"A call for a boycott of academic institutions in Israel undermines this goal, as it seeks to cut off creativity, diversity and freedom of opinion," Shasha Bitton wrote in her decision.
Education Minister Yifat Shasha Bitton, Photo: Herzli Shapira
She added that "Prof. Goldreich's signature on the petition calling for a boycott of an Israeli academic institution in early 2021, is in her view an exceptional case that justifies the choice not to award the candidate the prize, despite his outstanding and impressive professional achievements in his research."
At the end of her speech, Minister Shasha Bitton emphasized and said: "As Minister of Education and Chairman of the MLAG, I can not award the Israel Prize for academic achievements, impressive as they may be, to those who call for a boycott of an Israeli academic institution."