Ariel College of Judea and Samaria Free

Just received this from my friend Michael Stoltz at the College:-

Petition to Halt CJS Upgrade to University Status Withdrawn after Israeli Supreme Court Decision

The Israeli Supreme Court yesterday unanimously rejected the appeal of a group of 20 left-wing Israeli university lecturers who sought to halt the transition of the College of Judea and Samaria, Israel's largest public college with 9,500 students and 21 academic departments, to university status.

Pursuant to this decision, the Supreme Court recommended the withdrawal of the petition submitted by the lecturers who demanded that the Professional Committee established by the Council of Higher Education (Judea and Samaria) halt its review of the school's academic eligibility and readiness to be upgraded to a university.

The group's petition was originally filed in August 2006. The lecturers requested a temporary injunction to halt the Committee's work, which, at the time, was denied by the Supreme Court. Following yesterday's decision, the group formally withdrew its petition.

The decision by the Supreme Court enables the College of Judea and Samaria to continue the process of academic accreditation towards becoming a university center, as part of an interim status, and later a full university.

"We're very pleased this attempt to undermine our transition into Israel's next university has been rejected by the Supreme Court as unjustified. The College educates thousands of young Israelis annually, is heavily involved in advanced research and should receive the recognition and support it deserves", said Yigal Cohen-Orgad, Chairman of the College's Executive Committee.