JERUSALEM, Jun 12 (NNN-MA’AN) – Israeli Education Minister, Yoav Galant, yesterday announced his decision, to deny the awarding of the national Israel Prize to Oded Goldreich, a renowned computer scientist from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
In March, Galant refused to approve the prize committee’s recommendation, to award the prize to Goldreich, claiming that he supports the pro-Palestinian boycott movement against Israel (BDS) including a boycott against Ariel University in the West Bank.
The committee then petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice, and it ruled that the minister will take a final decision within a month.
Goldreich stated in court that he does not support the boycott movement against Israel, adding that, he is behind the recent signing of a petition calling on the European Union to stop cooperation with Ariel University.
Presidents of many Israeli leading universities, urged Galant to lift the veto he imposed on awarding the prize to the scientist.
In his letter to Israel’s Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, Galant said, he decided to deny the prize to the scientist as “his contribution as a researcher is nullified by his ongoing actions aiming to harm Israel and parts of its academia, especially Ariel University.”
The Israel Prize is the most prestigious prize in the country, awarded annually in various fields for special excellence, breakthrough, or contribution to Israeli society. The ceremony is held on the state’s Independence Day attended by the prime minister and the president.– NNN-MA’AN
