The Cabinet has approved Israel's membership in CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), the largest scientific organization of its kind in the world.
CERN’s area of interest is chiefly physics, and it has created the most sophisticated, advanced and expensive scientific infrastructure in the world in the field of particle acceleration and "Big Science."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel's membership in the organization “is a step of the highest scientific, industrial and diplomatic significance.”
Only 20 other countries are members of Geneva-based CERN, which was founded in 1954 as one of Europe’s first joint ventures.
Netanyahu said that joining CERN is a great scientific and diplomatic achievement for Israel, which “reflects the latent capabilities of Israeli scientists and constitutes recognition of their ability. Israel is joining an exclusive club, which provides unusual visibility, exposure, prestige and international status."
CERN’s founding convention stated as it mission that it “shall provide for collaboration among European States in nuclear research of a pure scientific and fundamental character... The Organization shall have no concern with work for military requirements and the results of its experimental and theoretical work shall be published or otherwise made generally available.”
Among its other goals, the Convention also listed the organization and sponsorship of international co-operation in research, promoting contacts between scientists and interchange with other laboratories and institutes. This includes dissemination of information and the provision of advanced training for research workers.
Its missions include these areas:
* Research: Seeking and finding answers to questions about the Universe
* Technology: Advancing the frontiers of technology
* Collaborating: Bringing nations together through science
* Education: Training the scientists of tomorrow
