The Council for Higher Education (CHE) gave final approval Thursday to the decision of Education Minister and Chairman of the Council for Higher Education, Naftali Bennett, to establish a faculty of medicine at Ariel University. The matter was brought by Bennett to the Council for Higher Education in accordance with the recommendation of the Attorney General, Dr. Avichai Mandelblit.
18 members of the Council for Higher Education participated in the discussion: 9 representatives of universities, 4 representatives of the public, 3 representatives of colleges, a student representative and chairman of the Council for Higher Education. The decision was passed by a vote of 13 to 5.
The establishment of the Faculty in Ariel was promoted by Minister Bennett, and was approved by an external inquiry committee composed of independent professionals from the Council for Higher Education of Judea and Samaria, and now the Council for Higher Education of Israel.
Therefore, the faculty will begin its activities in the coming school year.
"A two-year campaign ended with a great victory in the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine in Ariel. The CHE members made the right decision in favor of the State of Israel, which suffers from a severe shortage of doctors," Bennett said.
"I decided to open an additional faculty in the field, knowing that Ariel University was meeting all the demands and conditions, as set out in a series of decisions along the way. We faced enormous pressure from leftist officials with a vested interest, in the face of a university cartel that did everything, essentially, to put a spoke in our wheel. This is a victory of common sense over the narrow interest, and I am proud of it.”
"Greetings to the students who will come to the gates of the faculty in the coming school year, this victory of yours."