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Israel applies sovereignty over Ariel University in Samaria

“The discrimination is over,” Bennett stated on social media after the passing of the “Ariel Law,” which binds institutions of higher education in Judea and Samaria to Israel’s Council for Higher Education.

By: Adina Katz, World Israel News

In a vote of 56-to-35, with zero abstentions, the Knesset passed the third reading of the “Ariel Law,” which binds institutions of higher education in Judea and Samaria to Israel’s Council for Higher Education.

With the passing of the new law, state sovereignty is now being applied over Ariel University, which is located in Samaria, as well as Orot College in Elkana (Samaria) and Herzog College in the Gush Etzion area of Judea. These institutions were previously under the authority of a separate council established for Judea and Samaria, rather than the Council for Higher Education of Israel.

“The discrimination against Judea and Samaria is over!” Minister of Education Naftali Bennett, chair of the Jewish Home party, cheered on Facebook and Twitter Monday evening after the reading passed,

“This means that Ariel will no longer be a second class college,” Bennett said. “It’s a big step that will also enable us to open a medical school in Ariel.”

“After applying Israeli sovereignty on Ariel University, let us begin to apply Israeli sovereignty on Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria,” Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin tweeted.

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Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a meeting of his Likud party that he had been engaged in talks with the Trump administration regarding the possibility of applying Israeli sovereignty to Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Shortly afterwards, however, the White House issued a firm denial that any such discussions had taken place.