The clash between the education minister and academia continues. Education Minister Yoav Kisch on Monday attacked and accused the heads of Israeli universities of severely harming freedom of expression in academia. The reason, among other things, is their opposition to a bill that calls for the expulsion of students who wave PLO flags on campus, as well as the reception MK Simcha Rotman received at Tel Aviv University.
In a letter sent to them, Kish wrote: "On the one hand, you are fighting for 'freedom of expression and democracy,' and you claim that flying the PLO flag (supporters of terrorism) is part of legitimate rights, but at the same time in recent months you have acted decisively to shut the mouths of right-wingers, exclude positions that contradict your position, and have given it backing and legitimacy.
Minister of Education Yoav Kish. Keeping mouths shut for an entire camp, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
"I regret that there is no real freedom of expression in academia. On the one hand, they are fighting a boycott to protect the freedom of expression of the extreme political left, while the other side of the political map is violently silenced within the walls of academia."
Kish also wrote to university leaders: "You are directly responsible for the severe harm to freedom of expression in academia. You have acted in an extreme political manner to shut the mouths of an entire camp that thinks differently from you. You have done the greatest damage to the academic establishment you run."
Students waving the PA flag at Tel Aviv University, photo: Gideon Markowitz
Kish's comments come in response to the demand of the Committee of University Heads (VERA) to reject out of hand a bill that Knesset Member Limon Son Har Melech is working to pass together with the Im Tirtzu movement, which aims to permanently expel students who waved the PLO flag or express support for the struggle of the enemy of the state.
It should also be mentioned that yesterday (Sunday), MK Simcha Rotman arrived at Tel Aviv University. Rotman, who spearheaded the legal reform together with Justice Minister Yariv Levin, came to a panel on the legal reform in the university's Check Point building and was met with protest by hundreds of students against him against the background of the legislation. The event to which he was invited was organized by the student cell of the Likud and Blue and White.
Contempt and Slave Performance: Protesting at Tel Aviv University against Rothman | Photo: Gideon Markowitz/TPS
According to the bill, which has not yet been finalized (and agreements are being reached on it), expressing support for an armed struggle by an enemy or terrorist organization against the State of Israel, or expressing support for an act of terrorism, or waving a Palestinian Authority flag will result in a student being expelled from studies. First for 30 days, and if he does so again, he will be permanently banned and deprived of his eligibility for the title.
On the eve of the holiday, the Committee of University Heads announced that "this is a problematic and dangerous bill," and expressed hope that the Minister of Education and the Chairman of the Council for Higher Education will do everything in his power to block its advancement. According to them, the bill seeks to turn institutions of higher education into arms of the Israel Police and the Shin Bet, "oblige them to monitor the hundreds of thousands of students in their fields, and oblige the institutions to impose penalties for actions that today are mostly protected by freedom of expression – according to court rulings, according to the Attorney General's directives and also according to the instructions of the Israel Police."
MK Sun Har-Melech. Trying to pass a bill that would expel students who waved a PLO wave or supported the struggle of a terrorist organization, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
They also claim that "this is a profound and unreasonable politicization and interference in campus activity, an attempt to use academia for criminal enforcement, turning the administrations of the institutions into police officers, judges and even executioners – all of which have nothing to do with academia."
Board of University Heads: A Move That Will Justify All BDS Arguments
They even claim that "this is a decision that will severely harm institutions of higher education, and the standing of Israeli academia in the world. This is a move that will justify all the arguments of the BDS organizations, and will lead to a wave of academic boycotts of Israeli institutions around the world."
The friction and clash between the heads of academic institutions and the government reached a peak during the protests over the legal reform, when universities and colleges announced that they were suspending studies with it until the legislation was stopped. Now comes a new crisis.
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