"I believe the academy should reconsider this decision," Prime Minister Kristen Michal said at a press conference following the JEF summit, responding to an ERR question on the matter.

Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) also said EKA should reconsider the decision.

"Every educational institution makes its own decisions, but for me as a citizen, and also as a foreign minister, this decision is incomprehensible, because our relations with Israel are very good. And as the prime minister said, I would advise the EKA to reconsider these decisions, at least at the council level," Tsahkna told ERR.

"Now, as foreign minister, I see no reason why we should stop cooperation with Israel at this level. I can't comment on what the atmosphere is like in this educational institution, but as foreign minister, I can only say that this is definitely a step in the wrong direction," he added.

Tsahkna said he does not believe EKA's decision will have any impact on bilateral relations between Estonia and Israel, though the debate surrounding it will not benefit them.

"I hope that the council that this institution has will sit down and think about what a state-funded educational institution actually does. That is also the state message. And I, as foreign minister, would certainly recommend that this decision be reconsidered," Tsahkna said.

Former Estonian Minister of Education Jaak Aaviskoo (Isamaa) claimed there are radical left-wing activists at the university, whose demands EKA has given in to.

"I don't know about the internal atmosphere, although I do know that there are these kinds of very radical left-wing activists there and giving in to their incomprehensible demands is the core of the problem for me," Aaviksoo said.

"There should still be a dialogue here to understand what is going on, and I think that is also the responsibility of the university leadership. I don't think the university should proscribe anything to anyone, but the university should have some principles," Aaviksoo said.

Last week, the Estonian Academy of Arts' (EKA) director of studies informed students that the second part of a workshop led by Jonathan Ventura, an associate professor at Israel's Shenkar College, scheduled for February, had been canceled. The university has decided to terminate cooperation with all Israeli universities, Eesti Ekspress reported on Monday.

EKA Rector Mart Kalm told Ekspress that the university is not open to cooperation proposals from Israeli universities.

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