The students demand that the recommendations to lower tuition, adopted by the government in 2001, be adopted.
Studies in ten universities and colleges were struck, and tires were burnt and gates were forcibly closed in some places. In Jerusalem, students held a mock funeral for higher education in Israel.
Shai Pesel, head of the Students Union at the College of Judea and Samaria in Ariel, told Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine, "We are just starting our struggle. If the situation continues as it is, we will take sharper steps and we will strike the studies completely."
The Shochat Commission, appointed by the government to recommend reforms in Israel's higher education system, appears likely to propose a tuition hike. The commission does not include representatives of either students or lecturers.
Pesel said that in recent meetings between students and Education Minister Yuli Tamir (Labor), "her body language told us, 'you don't interest me.' Whatever we told her, she tried to excuse and explain, but not to learn something new. She remained with the same conclusions she had before."
The national Histadrut Labor Union supports the student strikers. Chairman Ofer Eini said today, "In addition to a potential blow to the student public, the Shochat Commission is liable to also recommend a differential salary system - something that is opposed to the existing agreements. In addition, it would hurt higher education in general, because only lecturers in the more attractive subjects will be paid well."
Other Schools on Strike
In other education news, one of Israel's two major teachers unions has announced that it will strike elementary, junior high and high schools tomorrow until 10 AM. The teachers are demanding higher wages. The Finance Ministry, against which the teachers' demands are directed, claims that the teachers are "acting with unclear considerations," in view of the fact that salary negotiations began last week.
Religious Schools Not on Strike
Religious high schools throughout the country did not strike yesterday - though they struck for a day last week - in view of the progress made towards restoring the sharp budget cuts that had been planned.
Some 47 million shekels for the religious schools will apparently be restored to the 2007 budget when it comes up for a final Knesset vote in the coming days. The cuts had threatened some of the schools with closure. Even with the return of the 47 million, the national budget for religious-Zionist schools will still be under 200 million shekels - compared with 280 million four years ago.
Studies in ten universities and colleges were struck, and tires were burnt and gates were forcibly closed in some places. In Jerusalem, students held a mock funeral for higher education in Israel.
Shai Pesel, head of the Students Union at the College of Judea and Samaria in Ariel, told Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine, "We are just starting our struggle. If the situation continues as it is, we will take sharper steps and we will strike the studies completely."
The Shochat Commission, appointed by the government to recommend reforms in Israel's higher education system, appears likely to propose a tuition hike. The commission does not include representatives of either students or lecturers.
Pesel said that in recent meetings between students and Education Minister Yuli Tamir (Labor), "her body language told us, 'you don't interest me.' Whatever we told her, she tried to excuse and explain, but not to learn something new. She remained with the same conclusions she had before."
The national Histadrut Labor Union supports the student strikers. Chairman Ofer Eini said today, "In addition to a potential blow to the student public, the Shochat Commission is liable to also recommend a differential salary system - something that is opposed to the existing agreements. In addition, it would hurt higher education in general, because only lecturers in the more attractive subjects will be paid well."
Other Schools on Strike
In other education news, one of Israel's two major teachers unions has announced that it will strike elementary, junior high and high schools tomorrow until 10 AM. The teachers are demanding higher wages. The Finance Ministry, against which the teachers' demands are directed, claims that the teachers are "acting with unclear considerations," in view of the fact that salary negotiations began last week.
Religious Schools Not on Strike
Religious high schools throughout the country did not strike yesterday - though they struck for a day last week - in view of the progress made towards restoring the sharp budget cuts that had been planned.
Some 47 million shekels for the religious schools will apparently be restored to the 2007 budget when it comes up for a final Knesset vote in the coming days. The cuts had threatened some of the schools with closure. Even with the return of the 47 million, the national budget for religious-Zionist schools will still be under 200 million shekels - compared with 280 million four years ago.