While academic institutions nationwide resumed studies last Sunday, sixty struggling Israeli technological colleges went on strike this week, in protest over a funding crunch they charge has forced them to the verge of closure, the Haaretz daily reported Tuesday.

Complaining of a decade of "criminal neglect" by successive Israeli governments, the Forum of Technology Colleges point to drastic cuts in funding for technical institutions, according to the report.

The community colleges, which annually certify around 20,000 engineering students, need a 40 million NIS (10.5 million U.S. dollars) infusion in order to keep their classrooms open, according to officials.

The colleges are demanding funding equivalence to other academic institutions, in order to hire teachers, build classrooms, and purchase equipment.

Forum officials are currently holding talks with representatives of the finance, industry, trade and labor ministries to reach a solution.

However, despite reports that talks are "going well," the strikers say they'll keep up the pressure until a final settlement is reached.