Schools in several cities, including Ramat Gan and 250 regional councils, are on strike Wednesday to protest budget cuts, but the strike is more moderate than originally planned after several municipalities balked at a call to keep all schools shut down the entire day. Schools in Jerusalem will remain open all day because of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.
Areas in which schools are closed from 8-10 a.m. include Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, Ashdod, Netanya, Rishon LeTzion, Kfar Saba, Raanana, Herzliya, Rehovot, Hadera and the Be’er Sheva suburb of Metar. Schools in Arad and the Bnei Shimon and Eshkol regions will be shut all day.
Regional councils are up in arms over the budget proposal to cut up to 2 billion shekels ($500 million) in expenditures for education that would affect transportation, security, building maintenance and improvements and treatment by psychologists.
Special education schools and matriculation examinations are continuing as scheduled, but special education classes in regular schools are affected by the strike.
The government plans to bring the budget to a vote Wednesday afternoon despite a threat by Shas, a partner in the coalition, to vote against the plan.