5-14-07, 9:27 am

Two students were taken to hospital for treatment and dozens of student protesters were arrested yesterday night in Jerusalem (Thursday, May 10) during protests over proposed education reforms. The clashes erupted when more than 1,000 student marchers blocked streets for several hours in Jerusalem city center. The students were marching to the prime minister's residence, as part of protests against education reforms. The demonstrators are demanding that the government lower tuition fees and increase the budget allocated for higher education.

The students have been on strike for several weeks, protesting the government's refusal to reduce tuition rates as promised. Instead, the government appointed a new committee to examine the issue, and the students went on strike in response. Universities have threatened to cancel the current semester if students do not return to the classrooms.

The students on the march wore red shirts, carried red flags and drums. They chanting 'Free education for all,' and 'No education, no state' and 'Olmert go home'. A protest tent has been set up near the prime minister's residence, and students plan to remain for a significant period of time.

Today, Friday (May, 11), students are planning an event on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv. Students and lecturers will speak on an array of subjects and also hold discussions, theatre workshops and street shows. Earlier this week, the Ben-Gurion Student Union in Beer-Sheva decided to end the strike only to reverse their decision due to pressure from the striking students.

The Chair of the National Student Union Itai Shonshein called the government's offer 'pathetic' and said that they are trying to create a divide between new students and old. He added that these tactics are how the government broke the workers' unions in factories and succeeded in bringing in manpower employees. 'Whoever wants to lead a public struggle cannot hurt the students of the future,' Shonshein said. Tel-Aviv, May 11, 2007