An official document from the Council for Higher Education in Israel reveals that incidents of incitement and support for terrorism have been reported in various academic institutions.
The data was disclosed following a request by the chairman of the Knesset Education Committee, MK Zvi Succot, after university leaders had claimed in recent months that such a phenomenon does not exist at all.
The document details information on institutions where complaints were filed regarding expressions of support for terrorism, problematic publications, and statements identifying with hostile elements.
According to the report, in some cases disciplinary measures were taken, while in others institutional handling occurred-contrary to earlier claims by academic leaders, who had boycotted Knesset discussions on the issue.
Following the exposure of the data, MK Succot announced his intention to promote, together with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a review of potential budget cuts for institutions where such incidents occurred.
In addition, enforcement authorities will be asked to provide an overview of how these incidents have been handled in higher education institutions, in order to prevent their recurrence.
Responding to the findings, Succot said: “At a time when the State of Israel is engaged in a multi-front existential war-from Iran to Lebanon-the enemy within is active, incitement continues, and academic leaders prefer to bury their heads in the sand and deny documented reality." He added that the official documents explicitly contradict the claims made by university administrations.
He further stated that exposing the truth proves there is full justification for economic measures against the institutions involved. “There are incidents, there are complaints, there are cases that were handled-and therefore there is full justification for cutting budgets from academic institutions based on existing law," the Education Committee chairman concluded.