Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., November 14, 2008 Cheshvan 16, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:51 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 15:58 28/08/2008
Shin Bet chief: Hebrew Univ. rector slandered my agency
By Amir Oren, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Yuval Diskin 

The head of the Shin Bet security service, Yuval Diskin, is accusing Hebrew University rector, Professor Haim Rabinowitch, of de-legitimizing and slandering the agency more than two years after Rabinowitch ordered the cancellation of an academic degree program specially tailored for Shin Bet enlistees.

In an August 4 letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Education Minister Yuli Tamir, Diskin accuses the Hebrew University rector of leaving Shin Bet agents with "a terrible feeling" following the controversial cancellation of the academic program.

The Shin Bet offered recruited agents an opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in political science as part of a 16-month track. After Haaretz reported that a curriculum was jointly prepared by the university's political science faculty and the Shin Bet's education division, negative feedback from the public prompted Rabinowitch to intervene in the formulation of the program.
Advertisement
The rector feared that nature of the partnership compromised the university's academic ethics. Rabinowitch then demanded that the contract with the Shin Bet be cancelled just minutes before it was to be signed.

Appeals to the university president, Professor Menachem Megidor, to revitalize the initiative were for naught. In his letter, though, Diskin noted that he has no complaints against Hebrew University as an institution, nor does he find fault with the political science faculty. The Shin Bet chief, who noted that his agency is acting to prevent terrorist attacks against the university, accused Rabinowitch of "patronizing and dismissive" treatment.

The cancellation forced the Shin Bet to establish its academic program in conjunction with Bar-Ilan University, the same institution that produced a student who came to be associated with the service's most ringing failure, Yigal Amir. Last month, the first graduating class completed the track in what the Shin Bet deemed a success.

Related articles:
  • Shin Bet: Release of Palestinian prisoners puts pressure on Hamas
  • Rights group: Shin Bet coercing ill Palestinians to become informants
  • Matters of Deterrence / Shin Bet head Diskin: Cease-fire with Hamas unlikely to hold
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    A ringing endorsement
    Jimmy Carter says Obama will waste no time in pursuing Middle East peace.
    Peres' olive branch
    Israel's president says the Arab peace plan is an opening for progress.
      1.   check your facts 16:07  |  shimon 28/08/08
      2.   Academic ethics 16:16  |  Student 28/08/08
      3.   the university was wrong. read orwell`s thoughts on academics 16:47  |  ralph 28/08/08
      4.   Perhaps Yuval Diskin 18:10  |  Chris Linthwaite 28/08/08
      5.   Why does one need a B.A. to give up all lands? 19:11  |  Holyland? 28/08/08
      6.   Questioning the universities "academic ethics" and good sense 19:28  |  Raymond in DC 28/08/08
      7.   Rector just doing his job... 20:07  |  Prof 28/08/08
      8.   Political science 22:10  |  Paul 28/08/08
      9.   Ethics of security 22:13  |  Paul 28/08/08
      10.   slandered rector 00:11  |  Sam 29/08/08
      11.   Hebrew U or Berkeley? 05:17  |  Rob 29/08/08
      12.   Hebrew U on Drugs 21:15  |  M 13/11/08
     Read & React
    Carter: Obama will waste no time pursuing Middle East peace
    Responses: 142
    Peres: Arab peace plan - an opening for real progress
    Responses: 96
    IDF soldier jailed for yawning during Rabin memorial service
    Responses: 117
    Ari Shavit: Israel needs a successor to Rabin
    Responses: 26


    More Headlines
    22:47 Israel to Hamas: We don't want escalation in Gaza
    00:17 IDF to court-martial soldiers filmed humiliating bound Palestinian
    23:47 Saudi King meets with group of prominent U.S. Jews in New York
    00:57 UN: Israel's border closures leave us with no food for Gaza
    01:47 Rahm Emanuel apologizes for father's disparaging remarks about Arabs
    23:03 Palestinian suspected in 1980 Paris synagogue bombing arrested in Canada
    00:32 TASE falls to lowest level since 2005; U.S. dollar soars
    20:15 Livni: Israel not counting on Obama in peace talks
    20:03 Qassams strike near southern towns of Ashkelon and Netivot
    23:21 Labor MK Pines-Paz to remain in Labor; Ex-police chief joins Likud
    18:30 Antiquities official: 8th century church discovered in Syria
    20:33 Switzerland: Israel breaking int'l law by razing Palestinian homes
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dan Boutique Jerusalem
    New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online!
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved