The Council for Judea and Samaria praised the decision to officially recognize Ariel University as Israel's 8th university. In a statement, the council said that the new university will spread "education and knowledge and will strengthen life in Samaria... it can contribute doubly to the State of Israel." Ariel, like all Israeli universities is open to students of all religions and ethnicities. It has operated as an institution of higher learning for about 30 years.