7 detained as students protest haredi funds

After giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a rude awakening on Wednesday morning, the students continued their protests against a bill allotting millions in state funds to yeshiva students.

Students demanding that the special yeshiva student benefits be cancelled protested near the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan and Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba. Hundreds of students took part in the protests in Beersheba and Jerusalem but only a few dozen joined the protests near Bar-Ilan.

At Ben-Gurion University, protestors held signs that read 'Finance and management studies not managing and financing yeshivas'. Seven students were detained by the police after blocking a highway in Beershba, including Ben Gurion-University Student Union Chairman Uri Keidar.

Students at Bar-Ilan University threatened to close route number 4 - major road near the university, but soon folded and went back to protesting on the sidewalks. They held signs reading: 'We are all equal students', 'We aren't suckers' and 'We have a yarmulke though we aren't haredim'.

The chairman of the Bar Ilan University student union, Liron Pulitzer, said: "Through these protests we are trying to get our demands for equal rights with the haredim heard. Bar Ilan's message is that you can combine religious studies with academic studies. Over the last few days we received many appeals from students, telling us that it's time to fight and change this country's priorities."

The chairman of the National Student Union Itzik Shmuli said that: "We are running the struggle against the discriminating benefits system, not against the haredim but we are for equal rights. We are determined to continue the struggle both from a public perspective and a legal perspective. We intend to appeal to the High Courts to abolish the discriminating law."

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