The representatives of the American space agency canceled the participation of scientists on their behalf in the conference in the Dead Sea, because of the "deterioration in the security situation following the assassination of Sheikh Yassin"
From: Concentration of sources
ASA canceled its participation in the Israel Space Agency conference
By Yuval Dror
The American space agency (NASA) announced at the end of the week that it does not approve the arrival of about 15 scientists on its behalf, to the conference of the Israeli space agency that was supposed to take place in the Dead Sea at the beginning of next month. NASA did not specify the reasons that led to its decision, but apparently it is a decision that stems from fear for the safety of the scientists. The Minister of Science and Technology, Eliezer (Modi) Zandberg, said in response that "this is a political decision".
The date of the conference, which was supposed to be held at the beginning of May, was already set about a year ago. At the conference, the scientists were supposed to discuss the findings of the Israeli MEIDEX experiment, which was conducted by the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon and the crew of the Columbia shuttle. The experiment focused on the study of desert dust storms. The experiment tapes are the only ones among the 59 experiments carried out by the shuttle crew during their sixteen days in space that survived the Columbia crash.
Besides about 40 Israeli scientists and NASA scientists, four European researchers from Italy, Greece, Germany and Switzerland were also supposed to participate in the conference. After last week a message was received from NASA that it did not intend to authorize the researchers to come to Israel, the Israeli Space Agency decided to postpone the gathering to an unknown date.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Eliezer Modi Zandberg, who is responsible for the Israel Space Agency, said that over the past year his office has held dozens of international conferences in the Dead Sea, where the current conference was also supposed to take place. "Just about two weeks ago, two active NASA astronauts, Steve Robinson and Stephanie Wilson, visited the place, who accompanied the families of the Columbia space shuttle crew during their visit to Israel. This is a political, wrong decision, we have not yet given up trying to reverse it," Zandberg added.
NASA is afraid to participate in an Israeli conference because of the situation
The "Yasin effect" also reached NASA: representatives of the American space agency canceled the participation of scientists on their behalf in a conference in the Dead Sea, because of the "deterioration in the security situation following the assassination of Sheikh Yassin". This is what the newspaper "Maariv" reports this morning.
At the conference that was supposed to take place in early May, scientists from Israel and abroad were supposed to discuss the results of the Israeli experiment, the MEIDEX, conducted by the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon with the crew of the Columbia shuttle. But following NASA's concerns about the security situation and canceling its participation, the Israeli Space Agency decided to postpone the gathering to another date.
"NASA's decision is political, wrong, and we still haven't given up trying to reverse it," said Science and Technology Minister Eliezer Modi Zandberg. Ministry officials added that this is not the first time that NASA has taken a political stance: the two NASA astronauts who visited Israel about two weeks ago were prohibited from visiting the Golan Heights, as it is "occupied territory".
Ilayel Shahar, Maariv
