Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton on Wednesday said she sympathizes with the striking teachers, who will close schools around Israel for the second day in a row on Thursday.
"I understand the teachers’ frustration. The strike could have been avoided if the Treasury had complied with the teachers' demands to sit with them today," the minister said in an interview with Kan 11 News.
"There is already talk today of one educator for two classes - this is an inconceivable notion and I will not allow it to happen. The education system is at its wit’s end," added Shasha-Biton.
Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman has made clear that he would not negotiate teachers' salaries unless teachers would be willing to rethink their vacation schedules.
The changes to vacations would be made so that the school year is more in line with the vacations offered by parents' workplaces.
In Wednesday’s interview, Shasha-Biton also commented on the political situation, and said she would not agree to join an alternative government headed by opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
"This is clear and we have said it all along. We did everything we could to replace Netanyahu's regime," said Shasha-Biton, a member of Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope party.