The U.S. State Department Allows Israel to Deny Students’ Scholarships!

No Religion or Ethic Would Allow This!
Yet, Israel Did It and the U.S. State Department Approved it!

Listen to an Introduction from Citizen Paul

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Among the brightest and the best, Zohair Shaban was one of seven detained Palestinian Fulbright Scholars who were unable to leave Gaza back in May 2008. Upon learning of this injustice, we published an editorial, “Israel, Please Wake Up!” on our website and received the following email from Zohair Shaban.

July 15, 2008
Dear Mr. Paul,

Thanks to Google Engine that guided us to your article titled “Israel Please Wake Up!” During the past period we used to regularly check what is written on our story in the media and the web. We read your article and are very impressed with it since it described an aspects of the hard life in Gaza particularly, education.

We would like to take the opportunity and express our appreciation to you for your thoughts, support and sympathy. We definitely believe the media is a very crucial tool affecting decision making and public opinion formation.

We share you the opinion that this matter shouldn’t have taken a lot from US to accomplish and this is what was written in the letter addressed to Secretary Rice when she recently visited Jerusalem. (Have a look on it here: deprived-gaza-students.blogspot.com.)

We read many article written in this story and most of them failed to mention that the banning policy is not merely for Fulbrighters but for all students here in Gaza, but your article mentioned this and this is a plus. Luckily, Gazans Fulbright story struck in the media and had widely spread, so our scholarships were reinstated and the US consulate (in behalf of State Department) said it’s committed to us to travel and join our programs at US. But what about the non-Fulbright student? Who will be committed to them and who will work to facilitate their exit? We hope your professionally-written article will have the desired impact on the decision makers in USA to press Israel to facilitate the travel of not only Fulbright Grantees but all students planning to pursue degrees abroad or in Westbank.

Back to our case, the most shocking thing was that we were banned for having “family ties” with Hamas and we think this is ridiculous!! We believe this is a justification that Israel had to mention instead of “No reasons, we want to ban them because we don’t like dictations.” No recent news regarding our travel and we still stranded in Gaza, but despite all what happened, we still have a high soul and we believe we will be able to join our respective programs.

Finally, thank you again for your kind efforts to clarify the truth and rectify the US policy in the Middle East. Please keep us posted if any reactions took place and we welcome any discussion in our issue.

Best regards,
On behalf of the three trapped Fulbright students,
Zohair M. Abu-Shaban

Latest from Zohair

We are determined not to be rendered a dependent people lacking advanced education.

And yet the silence of the world suggests that Israel will succeed in keeping us within the limiting confines of Gaza. Perhaps American students will think of me and my fellow Palestinian students as the academic year begins. We long for a similar opportunity.

HOW DISGRACEFUL! THIS DESTROYS ISRAEL’S AND AMERICA’S REPUTATIONS!

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February 24, 2009 | Filed Under , , , , , (Citizen Paul) | 
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