Grant the 600 students in Gaza the right to study abroad
A few days ago, many of you signed a petition directed to the US Department of State urging it to reinstate Fulbright grants to 8 student grantees from Gaza. Well, Congratulations!! Mission ACCOMPLISHED! They had their fellowships reinstated!
Yet today, it comes to our knowledge that there are more than 600 students in Gaza who, because of the total siege, cannot go on study abroad to the universities they have been accepted to.
Convinced of the importance of study abroad programs in bringing cultures and peoples closer together and in stimulating tolerance and peace, we would like to urge the Government of Israel to stop this nonsensical collective punishment and lift the ban on students accepted in schools abroad. We will join efforts with Palestinian, Israeli, and international NGOs for the freedom of movement and education.
YOUR VOICE DOES MAKE A CHANGE!
Dear Sirs,
We the undersigned believe in the importance of the freedom of movement of anyone pursuing their education. The blanket restriction of the freedom of movement for students in Gaza is against the basic right of human beings to education.
We believe the peaceful future of the region lies in the hands of educated individuals. The academic encounter of people from all over the world is a big step towards the promotion of peace and the resolution of conflict. We urge the Israeli Government to lift the ban on students admitted to foreign universities and allow them to leave Gaza for their study abroad programs.
We appreciate your cooperation.
