Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit

AG: Withholding of Israel Prize to Communist Academic Was Wrong

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit told the High Court of Justice on Thursday, July 23, that far-right former Education Minister Yoav Gallant’s decision to block a Communist professor from receiving the prestigious Israel Prize for his supposed backing of boycotts against Israel was wrong. In his response to a petition against Gallant’s decision, Mandelblit said the selection…

Israel's current Education Minister, Yifat Shasha-Biton, during her tenure as a Likud MK, confers with then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Yoav Galant.

New Edu. Minister Won’t Reverse Vetoing of Prize to Communist Prof

Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope), a former member of the Likud, will apparently inform Israel’s High Court of Justice and Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit that she does not intend to reverse the decision of her predecessor to deny the Israel Prize to Prof. Oded Goldreich, Kan Television 11 reported on Monday, July 5. Former Education Ministry Yoav Gallant…

Former Hadash MK Dr. Yousef Jabareen (left) and Adalah's General Director, Dr. Hassan Jabareen during the High Court session, last Tuesday, June 22, 2021

HCJ Accepts Ruling that Disallows MK Trips Funded by Peace Groups

  The High Court of Justice (HCJ) approved a Knesset committee ruling on Tuesday, June 22, that prevents MKs from traveling abroad on trips sponsored by organizations that support the struggle against Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. A petition against the committee’s ruling, which was submitted in 2018 by Dr. Youssef Jabareen, a former Haifa University…

Former Education Minister Yoav Gallant (left) with his mentor, previous PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Last Minute Final Decision Vetoes Israel Prize for Communist Scholar

Former Education Minister Yoav Gallant informed Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit on Friday, June 11, that he had finalized his decision to withhold the Israel Prize in mathematics and computer science from Prof. Oded Goldreich of the Weizmann Institute and a member of the Communist Party of Israel (CPI). According to an Haaretz editorial published on Sunday, June 13,…