Israel a CERN Associate Member State
Israel is being made a CERN Associate Member State, following the signing of an admission document by the Director General of CERN, Rolf Heuer, and the Israeli Ambassador to Geneva, Aharon Leshno-Yaar, on 16 September.
Following ratification of the document by the Knesset – the legislative branch of the Israeli government – Israel will assume Associate Member status with CERN for a minimum of two years. At the end of this period, the CERN council will decide on the admission of Israel into full Membership.
“It is a vital part of our mission to build bridges between nations,” says Rolf Heuer, CERN‘s Director General. “This agreement enriches us scientifically and is an important step in that direction. I am very pleased that CERN’s relationship with Israel is moving to a higher level.”
Israel has both a strong grounding in particle physics as well as a good relationship with CERN, notably having had a major involvement in the OPAL experiment at the Large Electron Positron collider – CERN’s main accelerator throughout the nineties. In 1991 Israel became an Observer at the CERN council, following an agreement to contribute equipment to, and support Israeli scientists at CERN – this relationship grew in 2009, when Israel became was accepted as Observer State, permitting attendance to restricted council sessions on of LHC matters.
Today, the country has a strong involvement in the ATLAS experiment and contributes funds towards experimental construction, upkeep and the development of future accelerators. In addition, Israel also supports Palestinian students at CERN, regularly sending mixed Israeli-Palestinian parties to participate in CERN’s summer student programme.
“I am very happy with this decision,” said Eliezer Rabinovici, Israel’s scientific observer at the CERN council. “I view it as recognition of the Israeli contributions, both scientific and technological to CERN over the years. The Israeli scientific community is looking forward to the continuation of this joint adventure.”
The European Physical Society also has had a long standing with Israel – with the Israel Physical Society having been a member of the EPS since the latter’s creation in 1968.
