Universities threaten legal action over campaign claiming Arabs prioritized over IDF reservists in admissions

The Association of University Heads, known by its Hebrew acronym VERA, threatens legal action against an IDF reservists’ organization over advertisements taken out accusing Israeli universities of favoring admissions for Arab citizens over Jewish reserve soldiers.

The “false media campaign” run by Hamiluimnikim (The Reservists) against Israeli universities is “a narrative created out of thin air” by those who believe that inciting against academia will serve their political interests, VERA says in a letter to the organization.

The Kan public broadcaster reports that the Hamiluimnikim organization is behind the multi-platform “Demand Justice in Academia” campaign, which has promoted the idea that “affirmative preference is given to Arabs in admissions to universities, at the expense of reserve soldiers.”

VERA says the accusations promoted by the campaign are false and were presented using incorrect data and without contacting the universities themselves, and notes that giving preference in admissions for one group over another is illegal.

“The universities not only know and respect the IDF soldiers and reserve personnel, but also act to the best of their ability to assist them,” the letter stresses.

The letter threatens legal action if the reservists’ group does not withdraw the advertisements and issue a formal apology.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, some 30% of university students have served in IDF reserve duty, along with many thousands of university faculty and staff. All the universities have announced compensation packages and other kinds of assistance for student-soldiers.

זו המציאות במדינת ישראל: מי שנלחם ראשון עבור מדינת ישראל הוא האחרון בתור בקבלה באקדמיה.

כיום, מי שנהנה מאפליה מתקנת (50% מרישיונות הרפואה בשנת 2022-2021) הם מיעוטים שלא משרתים.
החיילים צריכים לשלם הון וללמוד בחו"ל, ומי שהשתמט לומד בארץ על חשבוננו.

מאות כמו אייל נלחמו בשבילנו… pic.twitter.com/ppK9lJ72Wy

— המילואימניקים – דור הניצחון (@ozleisraelaza) December 17, 2024