The heads of the universities and the members of the MoLMOP council to Netanyahu: the damage to the startup nation is already about to become irreversible

In the letter, they state that both the members of the Molomaf Council and the presidents of the universities are witnesses to the departure of researchers from Israel, to the unwillingness to return to Israel and to a real damage to relations with the scientific elite in the world, including the cessation of donations and academic boycotts

Fear of brain drain. Illustration: depositphotos.com
Fear of brain drain. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The heads of the universities and the members of the National Council for Research and Development (which operates under the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology) sent a sharp letter this morning to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Science Minister Ofir Akunis and Education Minister Yoav Kish, warning of continued uncertainty and the fear that the coup laws will continue to be passed.

"אנו – מדענים, אנשי האקדמיה, יזמים ואנשי הייטק, חברי המועצה הלאומית למחקר ופיתוח אזרחי ונשיאי האוניברסיטאות הציבוריות של ישראל, מבקשים להתריע בפניך על הצטברותם של סימני אזהרה ברורים לעתיד המחקר המדעי במדינת ישראל.

The research and development activities in Israel, which combine scientific research in academia and government research institutes, with technological developments and high-tech enterprises, have brought Israel enormous successes and economic resilience, which most countries in the world envy.

In the last few months, especially in the last few weeks, there have been signs indicating destructive processes that could damage Israel's scientific strength. Among other things, we witness:

  • ירידה משמעותית בנכונותם של מדענים ישראלים מובילים הנמצאים בחו"ל לקבל משרות אקדמיות בישראל ולחזור להשתקע.
  • There is a growing fear of the departure of outstanding personnel in Israel's fields of science and technology.
  • Canceling the participation of the world's leading scientists in scientific conferences in Israel.
  • Explicit threats to cancel scientific collaborations between Israeli scientists and world scientists.
  • Explicit threats by donors, in all higher education institutions, to stop their donations because of the legal legislation. There are already (few) donors who have announced the cessation of donations.
  • A decrease in research grants enjoyed by Israeli scientists.
  • ירידה משמעותית בהשקעות מו"פ מגורמים בינלאומיים בחו"ל בחברות ההייטק הישראליות ובמו"פ בישראל.

We will emphasize and say again: scientific manpower is the basis for Israel's successes in the fields of science, technology and Israel's education on its various levels. Since this human capital is a mobile creation factor at an international level, and is sensitive to issues in the areas of individual and property rights, the dramatic and rapid legislative moves that have been made, threaten these rights and are already causing damage to scientific pursuits.

רבים בקהילה המדעית מצויים בתחושות של חשש, וסכנה לעתידם. כתוצאה מכך, רבים מהם מאבדים אמון ומעדיפים לנטוש את הספינה. הן חברי מועצת המולמו"פ והן נשיאי האוניברסיטאות, עדים לעזיבת חוקרים את ישראל, לחוסר הנכונות לשוב ארצה ולפגיעה ממשית בקשרים עם הצמרת המדעית בעולם.

The damage that accumulates and increases may seriously endanger the future of the startup nation and the great fear is that the damage will be irreversible.

It is our duty to bring this to your attention, as those entrusted with maintaining Israel's scientific excellence, which is considered critical to its economic and security strength.

Signed:

  • Members of the Plenum of the National Council for Civil Research and Development:
  • פרופ' פרץ לביא – יו"ר המולמו"פ – לשעבר נשיא הטכניון
  • פרופ' אבי צדוק – Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar Ilan University
  • פרופ' אבי שרודר – Chemical Engineering, Technion
  • Aaron Aaron - מנכ"ל רשות החדשנות לשעבר וסגן נשיא טכנולוגיות וחומרה של אפל העולמית לשעבר
  • Dr Itai Gabrieli - Geological Institute of Israel
  • Eric Klinstein - Gillot Capital venture capital fund
  • פרופ' דן פלד – Haifa University
  • פרופ' דני שטיינברג – Volcanic Institute
  • פרופ' יוסף קוסט – הנדסה כימית אונ' בן גוריון בנגב וחבר האקדמיה הלאומית למדעים
  • פרופ' ליאת איילון – החוג לעבודה סוציאלית אונ' בר-אילן
  • Michal Tzur - Hi-tech entrepreneur
  • Adi Sofer Thani - מנכ"לית פיסבוק ישראל
  • Imad Younes - מנכ"ל חברת אלפא אומגה
  • פרופ' קרן אברהם – Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

The presidents of the public research universities in Israel:

  • פרופ' אריה צבן – יו"ר ור"ה ונשיא אוניברסיטת בר-אילן
  • פרופ' אורי סיון –  The president of the Technion
  • פרופ' אלון חן – President of the Weizmann Institute of Science
  • פרופ' אריאל פורת – President of Tel Aviv University
  • פרופ' אשר כהן – President of the Hebrew University
  • פרופ' דני חיימוביץ – President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • פרופ' מימי אייזנשטדט – President of the Open University
  • פרופ' רון רובין – President of Haifa University

More on the subject on the science website:

Comments

  1. Academics scare themselves and those who walk in their path, out of a dogmatic political bias close to mass psychosis, fearful and anxious, without justification in reality

  2. These are the same haters of Israel who signed a petition in favor of disengagement which is good for security and good for the economy and we all know how bad it was

  3. Cheeky....Who gave you the permission to speak for everyone!!!!!! We... etc. etc
    Democracy - majority rule
    Dictatorship-rule by a minority that imposes its will on the majority
    It's interesting that they don't mention it in any demonstration or place, the main thing is screaming for democracy...

  4. It's unfortunate, but it doesn't seem to be of any interest at all in the current government, it's like talking to a wall,
    They are currently too engrossed in their victory selfie parties, preparing for the next victory selfie,
    that it would be interesting, we need someone in the government with the ability or even the desire to understand what they are talking about,
    Because the ability or desire to understand things that do not fit their agenda is not a common commodity in the current government
    Sadly, everything that is written in their face will probably come true in the future and not only in this area if there is no awakening in the current government and an understanding of what it is about

  5. The problem is that things and situations do not disappear.
    You see it all over the world, there is nowhere to run.
    The religious extremists will not disappear to the liberal seculars
    And vice versa.
    The government will also break up and there will be a liberal government
    על "מלא מלא" עם חוקה, הימין והדתיים לא יעלמו
    עם הרצון שלהם "לנקום בפרווילגים" ולהרוס כל
    A good thing built with labor and creativity over 75 years
    The Arab population in the territories will not be ignored by the settlers,
    and vice versa,
    Islam with the global vision to make the world Muslim
    At any cost, Israel and the Jews - all over the world - will not disappear!
    Which seems to be getting more and more crowded
    More and more transparent
    Which creates friction and heat between everything that used to be
    Far from each other in opinions, perceptions of location…..
    for more crowded
    Like the last puddle in the Kalahari desert
    All the rules and traditions fall away
    On the way there one preys on the other...
    In all areas
    There is nowhere to run.
    What to do?

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