University students protest against Shochat panel in Tel Aviv

Some university and college 200 students on Wednesday morning arrived at a building in northern Tel Aviv to protest the activity of the Shochat Committee on Reform in Higher Education.

A a subpanel of the committee was set to convene at the building, and special police units awaited the protesters at the building's gate to ward them off.

Nonetheless, the students managed to break down the fence and enter the site.

Three students belonging to the Tel Aviv University Students Union were detained by the police, among them the union's chairman, Boaz Toporovsky. All three were released shortly thereafter.

Even though they succeeded in entering the building, the students did not manage to prevent the subpanel from convening. Committee members aware of the students' plans to hold a protest relocated their meeting to another, "secret" location.

The students blocked off traffic on Namir Road for approximately 20 minutes and later continued on their route towards Tel Aviv University and blocked off the intersection of Einstein and Levanon streets, near the university's main entrance, for several minutes.

The protesters raised signs condemning the Shochat Committee and called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign.

	Students protesting outside of Tel Aviv University on Wednesday. (Dan Keinan)