JERUSALEM, Aug 13 (NNN-PNN) – Israel’s High Court of Justice yesterday cancelled the former education minister’s decision, to deny the awarding of the national Israel Prize to Oded Goldreich, a renowned computer scientist from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
According to the verdict, the main consideration in choosing, concerns the degree of Goldreich’s excellence, not his personality. The court then passed the decision to the Education Minister, Yifat Shasha-Biton.
In Mar, then-education minister, Yoav 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 the court. Goldreich stated in court that he does not support the boycott movement against Israel, while adding that, he is behind the signing of a petition calling on the European Union to stop cooperation with 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.– NNN-PNN
