Bennett
BennettKobi Richter/TPS

Education Minister Naftali Bennett informed the Committee of University Heads on Sunday that he refuses to reconsider the proposal to open a medical faculty at Ariel University in Samaria.

The heads of the universities claimed that the approval for the establishment of the faculty was dictated by the political echelon, but Bennett stands by his decision.

"The demand is rejected," Bennett said. "The decision to open the Faculty of Medicine in Ariel was accepted professionally and is final. There will be no further discussion."

"Unfortunately, the heads of the universities are a cartel. A closed group that receives NIS 10 billion a year and is accustomed to establishing itself and preventing competition," the education minister added.

"Thus, for years, we refused to receive a doctorate at IDC Herzliya until we approved it. This prevented Ariel from becoming a university until Sa'ar approved it. And so too now. The days of the cartel are over," Bennett said.