Students held a stormy demonstration in Tel Aviv Wednesday, blocking roads and bearing the brunt of police violence as they blocked traffic in downtown Tel Aviv.
At least seven university students were injured and eight more arrested at the protest against the proposed increase in university tuition, which marks two weeks of a student strike. One policeman was injured as well.
The strike comes in response to the unpublished conclusion of the government-appointed Shochat Committee on Higher Education, which is said to include recommendations to raise the current annual tuition of 9,000 shekels ($2,212 at today’s rate).
Shortly before the demonstration turned violent, Former Meretz Chairman Yossi Sarid addressed the protestors and said that in his opinion, their strike had not yet taken drastic enough steps. Soon after the radical leftist MK's speech, students began marching from the site of the protest, in front of the Tel Aviv Museum, toward Rabin Square. On the way they blocked the main Ibn Gvirol street, burned tires, blocked the Namir thoroughfare and even tried to block the Ayalon Expressway.
Student Union head Itai Shonstein said that 10,000 students attended the protest. “We will continue the struggle, continue to close down campuses, until we reach our goal,” he said. “The Prime Minister must come down from his ivory tower and meet with us immediately. If he doesn’t, we will set the whole country aflame.”
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) called upon Public Security Minister Avi Dichter to launch an immediate investigation into the police violence used to disburse the demonstrators.
MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert must get involved in diffusing the crisis before student strike measures escalate out of control.
The student struggle has led University administrations to consider canceling the current semester, as students have been boycotting classes for half a month already. A committee of university heads has already decided to lengthen the current semester.
Secondary School Teachers Continue Strike
Teachers of Middle Schools and High Schools across Israel have been continuing their strike as well.
Secondary schools were closed Thursday in northern and southern Israel.
The strike is expected to lead to the cancellation of standardized math and science exams, which Education Ministry Director Shmuel Abuav says will cause “irreparable damage to the State of Israel.”
The secondary school teachers are striking in response to what they say is the government’s intransigence during wage negotiations.
At least seven university students were injured and eight more arrested at the protest against the proposed increase in university tuition, which marks two weeks of a student strike. One policeman was injured as well.
The strike comes in response to the unpublished conclusion of the government-appointed Shochat Committee on Higher Education, which is said to include recommendations to raise the current annual tuition of 9,000 shekels ($2,212 at today’s rate).
Shortly before the demonstration turned violent, Former Meretz Chairman Yossi Sarid addressed the protestors and said that in his opinion, their strike had not yet taken drastic enough steps. Soon after the radical leftist MK's speech, students began marching from the site of the protest, in front of the Tel Aviv Museum, toward Rabin Square. On the way they blocked the main Ibn Gvirol street, burned tires, blocked the Namir thoroughfare and even tried to block the Ayalon Expressway.
Student Union head Itai Shonstein said that 10,000 students attended the protest. “We will continue the struggle, continue to close down campuses, until we reach our goal,” he said. “The Prime Minister must come down from his ivory tower and meet with us immediately. If he doesn’t, we will set the whole country aflame.”
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) called upon Public Security Minister Avi Dichter to launch an immediate investigation into the police violence used to disburse the demonstrators.
MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert must get involved in diffusing the crisis before student strike measures escalate out of control.
The student struggle has led University administrations to consider canceling the current semester, as students have been boycotting classes for half a month already. A committee of university heads has already decided to lengthen the current semester.
Secondary School Teachers Continue Strike
Teachers of Middle Schools and High Schools across Israel have been continuing their strike as well.
Secondary schools were closed Thursday in northern and southern Israel.
The strike is expected to lead to the cancellation of standardized math and science exams, which Education Ministry Director Shmuel Abuav says will cause “irreparable damage to the State of Israel.”
The secondary school teachers are striking in response to what they say is the government’s intransigence during wage negotiations.