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Israeli students support Gaza students right to education

July 18th, 2008 Posted by Ron

A group of Israeli students currently studying abroad, or who have studied abroad in the past, have mobilized on behalf of Gaza’s students. Would-be university students from Gaza are being prevented by Israel from studying overseas. They are also not being allowed to attend university in the West Bank or Israel. The Israeli students have addressed a letter of protest to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, excerpts from which follow:

“Preventing students from Gaza from departing for academic study will bring about the collapse of Palestinian civil society.”

“As a community of students who employ their freedom of movement, we are appalled by the situation in which the State of Israel is imprisoning Palestinian students in their cities. An all-embracing restriction on the freedom of movement of students from the Gaza Strip constitutes collective punishment of a civilian population, which has nothing whatsoever to do with security considerations. This policy is a gross violation of the right of movement and the right to education. It contradicts the fundamental values of democracy and leads to a deterioration of the socio-economic situation in the Gaza Strip and the sharpening of the conflict.”

“The sweeping ban on the exit of the students also delivers a blow to the most basic services that the people living there need. Over the long run, this policy will yield catastrophic results, since a society that is denied access to knowledge and expertise will experience economic and social decline, develop a dependency on external aid sources, and find it difficult to maintain moderate and democratic political forces. As the hardship intensifies, that society’s moderates will be replaced by its extremists. This policy runs counters to Israeli interests.”

For an article in the Hebrew press covering this letter, go to http://news.walla.co.il/?w=//1313142

For a comprehensive report on the Gaza student situation complied by Israel’s Gisha organization (”Held Back: Students Trapped in Gaza”), click here.

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