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13 Kislev 5766 - December 14, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Sharon Promises Security Considerations Alone Will Guide School Guard Arrangements

by G. Kleiman

"The considerations for the security of students at educational institutions in Israel have been and will remain security considerations alone," PM Ariel Sharon said at last week's Cabinet meeting.

Sharon was responding to remarks by Deputy Welfare Minister Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz during a meeting on posting school guards at educational institutions and designating it as a preferred job according to the National Insurance Law. In his remarks, Rabbi Ravitz asked for assurances that the policy will not change as a result of the changes being introduced in the funding arrangements.

Internal Security Minister Gidon Ezra asked the government to approve a decision for the 5766 school year—which would take effect in practice on January 1st—to position civilian, on- site guards at educational institutions using state funds alone, since the Jewish Agency stopped providing a contribution earmarked for school guards. In response to his request, the government approved NIS 30 million in funding to be provided by the Internal Security Ministry and the Education Ministry.

During the government meeting, Rabbi Ravitz said, "The criteria for security arrangements for students at educational institutions in Israel must remain based on security considerations alone, i.e. risk level, etc., so that every child in the State of Israel receives the security arrangements he or she needs." He then asked the government to address the matter quickly, before discriminatory standards emerge, as in the hot lunch program.

"As a representative of the chareidi public, I have an obligation to point out that the chareidi public is still feeling traumatized by the withholding of a slice of bread and a bowl of soup from yaldei Yisroel merely because they study in a different educational framework."

Sharon asked whether anybody sitting around the government table wanted to challenge any of Rabbi Ravitz' remarks and asked whether anyone present felt security should be withheld from a student who studies in a certain educational framework.

"Without a doubt," said the Internal Security minister, who initiated the proposal, "the security considerations at one institute or another are and will remain based on security matters alone and not on the identity of the student or the institution."

 

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