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Shmuli. 'We'll take campaign all the way'

Students step up campaign against haredi funding bill

Young Israelis planning series of protests across country to fight yeshiva student stipends. 'We're determined to take public campaign all the way in an effort to abolish this inequitable edict,' student leader says

Student representatives have decided to step up their campaign against the yeshiva student stipends and open a series of demonstrations across Israel.

 

According to the plan, thousands of students will rally in campuses across the country on Wednesday, hand out dollar bills in protest of government spending, burn tires and block major junctions.

 

Despite the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to set up a committee to review the proposal, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz has evidently added the bill's cost, some NIS 111 million (about $30 million) in the state budget for the next two years. The budget will be put up for a Knesset vote later on Monday.

 

The students are planning to hold a mass rally in Jerusalem next Monday, most likely outside the prime minister's residence. Student representatives have also approached the police in a request to hold a protest in Bnei Brak, but have yet to receive authorization.

 

"We feel we have massive support among the thousands of students who feel cheated and disgraced and we are determined to take this public campaign all the way in an effort to abolish this this inequitable edict," a student representative said.

 

'Same joke on students' expense'

Itzik Shmuli, chairman of the National Union of Israeli Students said, "We’re not stupid. The current version of the compromise proposal is meant to deny students of the same benefit. The students will fight against the discriminating policy and believe that the ministers who opposed the previous bill will realize this is the same joke being told twice at the students' expense."

 

Chairman of the Tel Aviv University Student Union Ran Livne said, "The state is entitled to give stipends to yeshiva students if it sees fit. However, it is unacceptable that the student public, which bears the burden of reserve duty, works for a living and studies will not receive the same proper support from the state.

 

"Providing yeshiva students with scholarships and not students means that the state believes a yeshiva student contributes more to the state than a medical student. This is a slap in the face of the students."

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.26.10, 00:36
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