University heads: IDF interfering in enrollment process

[Scurrilous]

In letter to Barak, Council of University Presidents say Israeli institutions 'open to all those who meet academic demands, irrespective of race, sex, religion or nationality'; professors join petition against restrictions imposed on Palestinian students

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3574835,00.html

<snip>

"In a harsh letter to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Council of University Presidents (CUP) demanded Tuesday that the security establishment stop intervening in the enrollment process at Israel's higher education institutions.

"This constitutes blatant and harmful intervention on the part of military elements in considerations that are strictly academic," the university heads said in the letter, which was drafted in protest of the disqualification of students, particularity Palestinian, from taking certain courses or from enrolling in Israeli academic institutions altogether.

"Since its inception the State of Israel has adamantly upheld the tradition of academic freedom," the letter said, "we expect the security establishment to preserve this tradition and deal solely with security-related matters.

"Israeli universities open their gates to all those who meet the academic demands, irrespective of race, sex, religion or nationality," the CUP told Barak.

Meanwhile, five professors have turned to the High Court of Justice and asked that their names be added to a petition filed by Gisha –Legal Center for Free Movement – against the restrictions on the entrance of Palestinians looking to enroll in Israeli universities, saying such restrictions "assist those who support the academic boycott of Israel."

[shira]

1. hmmm....

...so Israel has no restrictions on Israeli arabs but only on Palestinian arab students? I wonder why. Maybe they should just ignore the fact that Palestine has been at war with Israel for.....oh...60 years? Maybe that's why the restrictions? I'll bet no such restrictions existed before Intifada 2. I wonder why now. Hmmmm. Tough one.