Billionaire Shlomi Vogel worked for me not to receive the Israel Prize

The uproar over the cancellation of the Israel Prize: “Improper conduct, doubtless legal, in everything related to the sweeping and puzzling decision of the Minister of Education” – this is what the entrepreneur, Eyal Waldman, said at the beginning of his remarks about the decision of the Minister of Education to cancel the Israel Prize. Waldman claimed that “there is ample evidence that the decision to cancel all the awards was due to the fact that the committee was going to recommend me as the winner of the award.”

According to Waldman, the man who acted to prevent the recommendation that he receive the Israel Prize is the billionaire Shlomi Vogel, who is close to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Vogel is one of the owners of Israel Shipyards, which operates both a shipyard and a private port in Haifa; From the owners of the Ampa Group, which operates in the fields of real estate, non-bank financing, hotels and agriculture, and from the owners of the Gold Bond Company, which operates cargo terminals and containers near Ashdod Port.

Waldman went on to say in the discussion that “the minister did not act on his own accord but according to instructions from above. He exerted heavy pressure to go back on his intention to recommend me.”

Waldman said in the Science Committee that the reason the Israel Prize was canceled this year by the Minister of Education is because Waldman’s candidacy was not liked by the Minister and the Prime Minister.

Waldman also said in the discussion that “the claim that prizes are not given out in time of war is not only a made-up claim, but it is also a ridiculous claim. It is precisely in times of war that the civilian fields, entrepreneurship, science and culture must be strengthened. Families sacrifice what is dearest to them and the best of our children Losing their lives to protect and preserve civil society. A country where culture, science and entrepreneurship are abolished by hand has ceased to be a democratic country. Precisely in these terrible times, civil society must be strengthened.” He added: “Unfortunately, the current government is constantly undermining the foundations of society and democracy.”

On behalf of Shlomi Fogel, it was stated: “Eyal Waldman is one of the high-tech leaders in Israel and he definitely deserves to receive the Israel Prize. Fogel has nothing to do with the decision to cancel the prize.”