Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has appealed to striking teachers in a bid to halt the strike in a bid to halt the ongoing strike in Israel's middle and high school.
In a letter published Friday in the Yedioth Ahronoth daily, Olmert promised to accept some of the demands presented by the teachers over the past few weeks.
"I commit to a dramatic wage increase of between 26% and 34% to members of the Middle and High School Teachers' Association. I commit to a reduction in the number of students per classroom. We will raise the number of hours in the education system. We will increase the number of positions for teachers and principals," the prime minister wrote.
In his letter, Olmert also addressed the mass rally scheduled to be held the Teachers' Association on Saturday evening.
"If I could, I would come and talk to you at Rabin Square. But I was not invited to the demonstration, and I do not wish to turn your event into a stage for mutual attacks."
The prime minister demanded that the teachers bring about a change in the education system, asking them to dedicate more hours to children with learning problems and to spend more hours in the schools.
The Middle and High School Teachers' Association decided to take Olmert up on his word, as its chairman Ran Erez went up to Jerusalem unexpectedly Friday to initiate a meeting with the prime minister.
"I was happy to read Olmert's letter and happier to find out that he is finally willing to talk to us... we've been trying to get in to see him for the past six months We intend to see just how serious he is," Erez told Ynet before arriving at the prime minister's official residence. He later said that the prime minister refused to meet with him.
12th graders send letter to Olmert
Meanwhile, hundreds of 12th graders from across the country have written to Prime Minister Olmert and Education Minister Yuli Tamir that "the situation on the roads, the violence on the streets, the rising indifference, people caring only about themselves and the entire society's brutality are the direct result of the State of Israel's attitude toward education."
The letter, which will be published on the internet in a bid to gain the support of other students, adds that "the Israeli society is deteriorating."
The students believe that "education is the main tool for the creation of a civilized, prosperous and democratic society, which protects itself from internal threats."
Tal Rabinovsky contributed to this report
First published: 07:53, 11.16.7