Angry Israeli scientists protest at budget cuts

At least 200 Israeli scientists have held a demonstration in protest at the budget cuts, which are forcing them to retire as they turn 67 — an age limit that did not exist in the past.

The protesters staged a rally in front of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry building on Tuesday, chanting slogans like: "[Immigrant Absorption Minister] Sofa Landver, what happened to the fund?" "Immigrant Ministry don't obstruct our rights!" "[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, you premised and failed to deliver again!" "[Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman, live up to your pre-election promises!" and "lower pension results in brain drain."

They also demanded that the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes claim full responsibility and ensure that the full budget is transferred to the scientists' program.

If the budget is not allocated in full for the 2010 fiscal year, some 150 scientists — who mostly immigrated to Israel 20 years after the great immigration from the former Soviet Union — will be fired.

Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver on Sunday questioned whether Tel Aviv has a national strategic vision since the absorption of immigrant scientists is of high importance to Israel.

"On the one hand... [top Israeli officials] announce in public that they are willing to do everything to prevent a brain drain from Israel, while on the other hand, the Treasury is putting spokes in this project's wheels every single year," Landver said.

She added that this was even more serious, considering the fact that the Russian government was taking really efficient steps to attract the scientists, who have left the country.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Immigrant Scientists Association, Prof. Moshe Belinsky, said that "such an attitude towards scientists is simply discrimination. People who have invested many years in developing science in Israel are being thrown to the streets. All this is happening while the State is trying to return scientists who have left to Israel and prevent others from leaving."