The heads of public research universities and members of the National Council for Civilian Research and Development warn of negative consequences “for the future of scientific research” in Israel due to the government’s judicial overhaul.
In a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Science Minister Ofir Akunis, they cite “growing signs that testify to destructive developments that could harm the scientific resilience of Israel.”
The university leaders and council members report a “significant drop” in the number of Israeli scientists overseas willing to return for work and express fears that leading figures in science and tech could leave Israel, while warning of a reluctance by foreign scientists to attend conferences in the country and “explicit threats” to scrap research cooperation agreements, among other concerns.
“Many in the scientific community have feelings of concern and danger for their futures. Because of this, many of them are losing confidence and prefer to abandon ship,” they add.
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Tuesday, August 1, 2023
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