U.S. Tries to Help 3 Scholars Barred From Leaving Gaza

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"American consular officials drove from Jerusalem to the Gazan border on Thursday in an unusual effort to interview three Gazan Fulbright scholars who Israel says are too dangerous to allow into the country.

Using a portable fingerprinting machine flown in from Washington for the interviews, the Americans were seeking to expedite the granting of study visas to the three scholars, despite Israeli concerns.

The scholars, all former students or teaching assistants at the Islamic University of Gaza, a stronghold of the radical Hamas group that runs Gaza, were among seven winners of Fulbright grants in the territory. In May, the State Department, which sponsors the program, told all the scholars that their awards were canceled because Israel would not permit them to leave Gaza.

But after word of the cancellations spread, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated publicly that the Fulbright program was a vital part of American policy, and the awards were reinstated. Israeli officials then agreed to carry out security checks on the seven Gazans, granting four of them the permits needed to travel to the American Consulate in Jerusalem. The other three, however, were determined to have links to Hamas, which Israel and the United States regard as a terrorist group.

American officials who asked for the details of those links were given only general statements about family ties. The officials decided to find a way to get the students out — thus the drive to Gaza. “It is certainly not the norm,” Sean McCormack, the State Department spokesman, said in Washington."

more

[breakaleg]

1. Great news. I hope they are able to get the hell out of there.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Good.

I wonder what 'links to Hamas' means in this context. In any case, it's a good thing that the officials are actually checking out the situation. I hope things will be sorted out!

[Scurrilous]

3. Appeal to Dr. Bollinger for Gaza Fulbright Students

<snip>

"I received this email and I post it with the hope that somehow it can reach Dr. Bollinger at Columbia University.

Saturday, July 26, 2008
Gazan Fulbright Scholar at Columbia
Lee Bollinger's Selective Boycott Opposition
by Joachim Martillo ([e-mail])


When human rights organizations took a stand against Israeli human rights violations by using techniques borrowed from the anti-Apartheid campaign, Columbia President Lee Bollinger declared any attempt to limit the access of Israeli academic institutions to British universities to be "utterly antithetical to the fundamental values of the academy, where we will not hold intellectual exchange hostage to the political disagreements of the moment."

He added, "In seeking to quarantine Israeli universities and scholars (the) vote (of Britain's University and College Union) threatens every university committed to fostering scholarly and cultural exchanges that lead to enlightenment, empathy, and a much-needed international marketplace of ideas."

See below for Bollinger's entire statement.

So far the State of Israel has refused to give permission to three Gazan Fulbright Scholars to travel to the USA. One of them is supposed to attend Columbia in the fall.

Please write President Bollinger ([e-mail]). Here is my letter.

Dear President Bollinger,

You have taken the lead to support international access of Israeli scholars and academic institutions with your June 12, 2007 Statement on British University and College Union Boycott.

The State of Israel is attempting to enforce a quarantine of Gazan Palestinian scholars and thereby "threatens every university committed to fostering scholarly and cultural exchanges that lead to enlightenment, empathy, and a much-needed international marketplace of ideas."

Because of your public stand do you not now have the ethical obligation today to inform the American and Israeli academic communities that you are rethinking your opposition to the boycott of Israeli educational institutions and scholars -- especially because one of the quarantined Gazans is supposed to start at Columbia in the fall?

The State of Israel owes you, and I cannot think of a more effective way to compel the Israeli government to give the remaining three scholars permission to depart for the USA.

Sincerely yours,

Joachim Martillo

more

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. Once a Gaza dog, always a Gaza dog, I guess...

What unbelievable fucking gall: it's the real face of the gov't of Israel.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. This is precisely why the world needs an international academic boycott of the state of Israel.

I find this issue enraging -- and telling -- on so many levels. The fact that this is happening during a ceasefire -- not under a daily hail of rockets -- is the first thing.

The State Dept. should say, "not one Israeli student will get a US student visa until those kids are allowed to exit." How utterly arrogant and disrespectful on the part of Israel's gov't. Do they really think those 3 kids haven't been vetted?

Yes indeed: This episode demonstrates what's true: The gov't of Israel doesn't give a flying fuck about its "special relationship" with the US and not one human being in Gaza has worth.

[LeftishBrit]

6. I disapprove of all academic boycotts - and that includes this one!

What's happening to the Gaza students IS a form of academic boycotting, and as such I oppose it just the way I oppose the proposed academic boycott of Israel.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

7. Not one Israeli citizen should get a US visa until those Gazans are out.

It is insane that US consular officers have to drive down there, and this situation warrants more than a lefty "oh goody!" at this absurd attempt to resolve it.

[LeftishBrit]

8. I would support threats to cut US aid; but why punish every Israeli citizen who wants a US visa?

Should this include Israeli Arabs, by the way?

I don't think this strategy would even work.

Just because I don't agree with your particular solution, doesn't mean I don't take the problem seriously. Whatever the political conflict, hands off the students! - they represent the most immediate future hope for their country's progress. I support the campaigns of www.gisha.org, and the general approach described by www.links-not-boycott.org.uk. I'm very critical of Israel on this issue; but academic boycotts aren't an approach I support

[ProgressiveMuslim]

22. What's good for the goose and all...

[ProgressiveMuslim]

24. What form does your solidarity with Palestinian students take?

[LeftishBrit]

29. Mostly, support for/donations to Gisha.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

30. How does their saying "Don't demonize Israel!" provide solidarity for

Palestinians living under the iron fist?

[madeline_con]

28. Hands off the students? Would that Israel shared that sentiment!

[ProgressiveMuslim]

34. Isn't the irony mind-boggling? nt

[LeftishBrit]

38. I agree in this case.

[shira]

9. maybe you should be informed before being so righteously indignant

http://www.nysun.com/foreign/congressman-asks-terrorist-screening-of-gaza/80407/

WASHINGTON — A Republican congressman is pressing the State Department to screen three Palestinian Arab recipients of Fulbright grants to determine their links to terrorism after learning of their affiliation with a Hamas-sponsored university.

The three winners of American taxpayer-funded Fulbright grants to study in America — Fidaa Abed, Osama Dawoud, and Zohair Abu Shaban — have studied or taught at the Islamic University of Gaza. An Israeli newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, reported in 2007 that Islamic U. was one location where a kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was kept after his abduction in 2006. The newspaper also said forces loyal to President Abbas had raided the university in 2007 and found stocks of rifles and rocket launchers.

"On its face, the State Department's decision to award Fulbright Scholarships to employees or affiliates of Islamic University of Gaza is a direct violation of new U.S. Law," Rep. Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois, wrote in a letter to the acting inspector general of the State Department, Harold Geisel, on June 10.

The letter also cites an Israeli press report that an officer in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard taught a course at the university in explosives-making, though one source cautioned that that claim may be propaganda from a rival Palestinian Arab faction.

During the weekend, Secretary of State Rice pressed Israel to allow the three Fulbright winners to leave Gaza, as Israel had allowed four other Gazan Fulbright winners to leave earlier this month. This week, Israeli officials had announced that two of Islamic University's Fulbright recipients would not be granted exit visas because their names were on an Israeli terror watch list.

The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have taken up the cause of the Palestinian Arab Fulbright winners. But for Mr. Kirk the episode discloses a potential weakness in the Fulbright screening process.

In his letter to Mr. Geisel, the Republican lawmaker urged the acting inspector general to "investigate the Department's compliance mechanism so that U.S. taxpayer money never again ends up in the hands of those affiliated with institutions controlled by certified foreign terrorist organizations in violation of U.S. law." Specifically Mr. Kirk wants the Fulbright winners to be vetted through the U.S. Agency for International Development's Terrorist Screening Center, a new vetting process created to keep development aid out of the hands of terrorists.

"Since the appropriations committee on behalf of the U.S. taxpayer paid for the TSC system, can't we run these names? The answer from State is, we don't do that," Mr. Kirk said in an interview.

The Islamic University of Gaza is intertwined with Hamas. In his letter, Mr. Kirk quotes Jameela El Shanty, a professor at the school who told the Baltimore Sun in 2006: "Hamas built this institution. The university presents the philosophy of Hamas. If you want to know what Hamas is, you can know it from the university."

While America has supported a recent cease-fire announced this week between Hamas and Israel, the State Department since 1997 has considered Hamas a foreign terrorist organization.

In a response to questions from Mr. Kirk, the State Department responded that it does not have formal ties with the Islamic University of Gaza, or IUG. "The U.S. Consulate does not deal with the IUG as an institution because of its links to Hamas. However, we continue to accept applications from individual students and professors. These applications go through the same vetting process as all other USG funded grantees," the State Department wrote in response.

Mr. Kirk however said he was dumbfounded as to why the Fulbright applicants from the Islamic University of Gaza were not fully screened.

"I am an internationalist, I am for exchange programs," he said. "But look at it like this. The upside is three guys get a U.S. education. The downside is the taxpayers funded terrorists entering the United States for God knows what."

The State Department's work on Fulbright scholarships in Gaza in the past has been cause for tragedy. On October 15, 2003, a roadside bomb blew up a convoy of American contractors who were in Gaza to interview applicants for the Fulbright program.

The scholarship awarded to both Americans to study abroad and foreigners to study here was named for Senator William Fulbright, a Democrat from Arkansas. In 2007, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released the minutes from the executive meetings of that panel in 1967 that Fulbright chaired. In one meeting before the Six-Day War, Fulbright proposed eliminating the tax-exempt status of the United Jewish Appeal because it had lobbied to support Israel in that war. "The trouble is they think they have control of the Senate and they can do as they please," Fulbright was quoted as telling the secretary of state, Dean Rusk.


================================






Looks like Israel had good reason to keep these 3 "students".

Are you equally pissed at Egypt for not allowing these 3 kids to exit Gaza through the Rafah crossing?

[Vegasaurus]

10. But we are not supposed to view members of Hamas as terrorists

They are the "government" after all, and even if their goals include annihilating Israel, killing Jews, violent resistance, suicide bombings and terrorism, there should be NO reason not to let three affiliated Hamas students out of the country.

:sarcasm:

[azurnoir]

13. Is Hamas working to kill Jews

on a global basis? if so please provide proof, as far as news reports go Hamas up until the cease fire was trying to kill Israeli's.

[shira]

15. Hamas wants to kill non-jewish Israelis?

I'd refer you to that palestine media watch to see what Hamas tells Gazans what they should think of Jews and do to Jews, but I'm told PMW is biased when they translate word for word the arabic from all Palestinian media outlets.

How they are more biased than organizations that fabricate and perpetuate hoaxes and blood libels like al-Dura beats me. I'm not aware of PMW making up all kinds of shit about Palestinians.

[azurnoir]

20. Remember Hamases rockets are unguided

there they can not be aimed specifically at Jews now can they?
And you cite PMW as reliable as implied in your quote? I'll leave any conclusions to readers of this thread.

Oh and "blood libel" why I haven't heard that since.......

[azurnoir]

11. And perhaps you would do well to take

your own advice Ms Shira

Egypt vows Rafah to remain closed until Shalit freed
<snip>
A senior member of Olmert's team said Israel had been assured that so long as Shalit was not released, Cairo would not open the Rafah border crossing.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3559637,00.ht...

or is the life of single soldier that unimportant to the "Pro's" on this board?

[shira]

12. so?

Egypt makes their own decisions unless you believe they are controlled by Zionists.....LOL! Why not be as pissed at Egypt as with Israel in not allowing these school kids from Hamas University out of Gaza? Do you really believe the elders of Zion in Israel control Egyptian policy?

[azurnoir]

14. Thanks you answered the question

about the what the real value of Gilad Shalits life is for some. Why else be pissed about Egypt keeping Rafah closed as a part of the negotiations or try to obfuscate it with wild eyed claims about elders of zion or what ever.

[Vegasaurus]

16. Do you think Egypt gives a shit about Jews or Israelis?

Hardly. Take a look at their media.

They are not keeping their border closed because they are in cahoots with Israel, because they like Israel, or care about Gilad Shalit.

They are keeping the border closed for the same reason they cemented it ten feet high after the breech.

Egypt does not want to deal with the Palestinian problem, and wold prefer Israel take full responsibility.

Egypt does not open Rafah, because {they don't want the security risks to their own people .

[azurnoir]

18. And yet "concern" thank you n/t

[Vegasaurus]

21. Concern about what? nt

[azurnoir]

25. Actually more concern about whom? n/t

[Vegasaurus]

33. If you are trying to play word games, you're doing a good job! nt

[azurnoir]

35. Ok the incredible lack o concern

for the life of Gilad Shalit and yes you have already stated you prefer to think he is dead, vs the opportunity to bash Egypt, who has brokered the current cease fire and is handling negotiations speak for themselves.

I have stated before that for a "certain" mindset that the return of Shalit's corpse holds more value than his safe return.

[Vegasaurus]

36. I PREFER to think he is dead?

Where on earth did you get that?

I said I expect that he is dead, which I do, which is a far cry from "PREFER" to think he is dead. Are you nuts?

And quit putting words in people's mouths.

I have expressed great concern over this situation, but it won't stop me from pointing out the obvious total hypocrisy on the part of Egypt, which has turned its back on the Palestininans, built a ten foot wall, and then refused to let supplies through to Gaza.

That isn't bashing, it's truth.

Some people need to learn the difference.

[azurnoir]

39. Egypt's total hypocracy?

The fact is that Egypt did open Rafah for 2 days about a month ago because ther were people stranded on either side of the crossing

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x218618#220007

[Vegasaurus]

40. So you see I didn't say I "PREFERRED" that Gilat was dead, correct?

And also, big whoop that Egypt opened Rafah for two days.

Israel has to open its borders to send in supplies, food and fuel to the Palestininans, their hostile enemy, EVERY DAY.

Are the Egyptians at war with the Gazans?

No, but they you think opening the border for two days in a month is some great humanitarian gesture?

Egypt should open Rafah every day, but, instead, the Egyptians erected a ten foot concrete wall to ensure that no Palestinians can get into their country.

They just turned away truckloads of medical supplies.

You'd be first in line screaming if Israel did that.

But of course, Israel wouldn't do that, because it continues to babysit and take care of the very people who terrorize and threaten to annihilate them.

[azurnoir]

43. The second disingenuous post and in caps

here is what I posted

Ok the incredible lack o concern
for the life of Gilad Shalit and yes you have already stated you prefer to think he is dead,

Note I did not say you preferred him dead I said you preferred to beleive Gilad Shalit was dead

Now this is in part based on this exchange

your quote

I would bet that he is dead

Terrorists have no value for human life, and now see that they can "trade" a dead solider for a bunch of live terrorists.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=218687#218698

If you believe otherwise fine

[Vegasaurus]

48. Stop again

"Betting" he is dead, is not the same as "preferring to believe" he is dead.

I don't "prefer to believe" that anyone is dead.

I just face facts and realities, contrary to many people, and would imagine he probably is dead, unless Hamas feels it politically beneficial to keep him tortured and alive (another option).

[shira]

41. where do you get we're against Egypt?

Everyone is pissed at Israel not allowing these 3 Fullbright students out of Gaza, but these same Israel-bashers (not me or Vegasaurus) say nothing about Egypt allowing these 3 students out through Rafah. We're pointing out the hypocrisy. We have no issues with Egypt in this circumstance.

You're confused.

[azurnoir]

44. Obfuscating are we?

or perhaps memory problems? the reason Egypt is not opening the border was explained to you yesterday after similar statements about Egypt and a rather insulting statement to another poster.Given the circumstances why would Egypte change this for the Fulbright students and stating that certain posters myself included are being "hypocritical" for not questioning Egypt's role in this matter is at best disingenuous and an "underhanded" way of once again bashing Egypt, but it is expected, in fact it seems to be almost Pavlovian amongst some.

Now on another matter you refer to yourself and Veggi as "we" do you belong to some group?

[shira]

46. all you have are strawman arguments.

Why don't you re-read this thread and see where I'm trying to argue what you THINK I argue? You're the one shifting the goalposts and anyone following this thread can see that clearly.

Are you pissed about Israel not allowing these Gaza students out? If so, why limit your anger at Israel and not Egypt? That's the only point I've made. Gilad Shalit has absolutely nothing to do with this. If you want to go on with this sideshow of yours, you're more than welcome to get the last word in. I've made my point.

[azurnoir]

51. Strawman? Cause the "scarecrow" says so?

And yes Egypt keeping Rafah closed as part of an agreement involving negotiations to release Gilad Shalit does have much to do with this no matter how much you may wish to deny that.

[Vegasaurus]

49. What;s underhanded?

Israel isn't letting the students out.

Neither is Egypt.

You are maligning Israel, but not Egypt.

That's called Hypocrisy 101.

[azurnoir]

52. Another "scarecrow" n/t

[shira]

17. what?

I'm not pissed at Egypt for keeping Rafah closed. Are you confused?

If anyone is pissed at not allowing these 3 students out of Gaza, they should be pissed at both Israel and Egypt. That is my point. Since it seems likely these 3 are not innocent college kids, I support Israel and Egypt in this case. Our ProgressiveMuslim friend is only pissed at Israel and not Egypt and therefore holds to a double-standard.

[azurnoir]

19. Oh the change in tune LOL n/t

[ProgressiveMuslim]

23. Blah blah blah. Brown skin? Moustache? TERRORIST!!!!!!!!!

What university in Gaza wouldn't be associated with Hamas?

That anyone tries to defend this racist bullshit is beyond my comprehension.

SHAME ON ISRAEL. But then again, this policy is really just more of the same.

I know all too well that in the eyes of the gov't of Israel and the Occupation implementers that all they need to know about people from Gaza is that they are from Gaza. No other info needed.

DOES ANYONE HONESTLY THINK THESE KIDS ARE TERRORISTS????

CUT ME A BREAK!

This entire discussion makes me want to hurl.

[Violet_Crumble]

31. Hell yeah! If some Republican dingbat says it in a RW trashy source it MUST be so!!

Sheez....

[shira]

32. facts, not blind-faith and emotion

In 2003, American Fulbright representatives were killed by Hamas led terrorists. Two of the three on this current Fulbright team are on Israel's terror watch list. The university they come from held Gilad Shalit and was a weapons depository.

And the best you can do is claim "right wing" without bringing any counter-evidence?

[Violet_Crumble]

45. Have you considered taking yr own advice?

While blind-faith and emotion does provide entertainment value, it also makes me tend to cringe on the behalf of the True Believer...

Also, why are you focusing on one small part of the article you posted to the exclusion of all else? Read Leftishbrit's post about the Republican in the article and try to understand that he has a rather unpleasant and very unprogressive agenda. I'm not sure why you think I'm merely claiming he's right-wing. It's a FACT he's right-wing...

[shira]

47. ooooh, he's right wing.....

I can disagree with any rightwinger's politics - but I'm not going to ignore or minimize actual fact. You'd do well to do the same.

It's a FACT that American Fulbright representatives were murdered in 2003. There's a history involved here. And U.S. law makes it illegal to fund/aid terrorist organizations - which Gaza U. is apparently linked to. America has been burned before by this.

From Israel's perspective, there is good reason to be extremely suspicious of these "students". To make-believe any Gazan student can be cleared to go abroad to study is to ignore the very real threat these "students" pose to other countries that host them, like the USA for example - which believes rightly or wrongly - that they'd rather not be burned again as they were in 2003.

Let's not pretend Israel is just some nasty bully that keeps nice, passive kids from studying abroad for no apparent reason.

[Violet_Crumble]

50. Weren't you the person going on nonstop about freepers when you arrived here?

So, it's okay to rely on freepers when they say what you agree with, but not when they don't?

Also, why do you totally ignore what I said in my post in favour of just repeating the same thing again? Just in case I wasn't clear, I was commenting on the silliness of taking what a Republican with a clear bias (see Leftishbrit's post) as gospel, and his attempts to make out that Palestinian students should be disadvantaged because their universities have links with Hamas is a case of punishing people for the party that governs them....

I know you have a tendency to read things into people's posts that aren't there, but I don't recall claiming that Israel is a nasty bully that keeps nice, passive kids from studying abroad. The thing is that unlike you, I make the assumption that these students are innocent until there's solid PROOF of wrongdoing. I have the same attitude about Israelis, btw...

[LeftishBrit]

37. Mark Kirk?

Mark Kirk is a Republican Congressman, who has clearly expressed his bias on such matters:


From Wikipedia:

'On November 5, 2005, while speaking at Northwestern University, Kirk was asked how he felt about stricter visa policies applied to Arab foreign nationals seeking entry to the United States. Kirk answered: "I'm OK with discrimination against young Arab males from terrorist-producing states. I'm OK with that. I think that when we look at the threat that's out there, young men between, say, the ages of 18 and 25 from a couple of countries, I believe a certain amount of intense scrutiny should be placed on them."<6>. He said that the statement was "politically uncomfortable", and later issued a statement to clarify his position on the issue: "We need to strengthen our visa entry process to guard against the threat, and we need intense scrutiny on applicants from terrorist producing countries," Kirk said. "Ignoring that reality would only do a disservice to our country's security."<7>'


(He's also the man who said, "If we see Obama, it's shoot on sight" - I assume he meant Osama, but still it's slighly worrying that he would make this error.)


Whatever one thinks of Hamas - and I don't think much of them to put it mildly - they are the main governing party in Gaza, and therefore any university there is going to have some links with them.

Realistically, there is the possibility that any student may be a terrorist or criminal (most students are at the peak age for terrorism and other crime, after all); and it is sensible to vet everyone, including all students, before letting them in to one's country. But it is unfair to single out one particular group of students because of their country.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

42. Is there a single institution in Gaza not run by Hamas?

Let's call a spade a spade: either the US goes along with Israel's unconscionable collective punishment or it does the right thing, and tells our "special friend" to cut the shit and let those kids out.

How scary that bigoted idiots like Mr. Kirk have any power in this country.

[madeline_con]

27. Not only do they not get visas, all those already in the U.S.

must leave within 24 hours.

[madeline_con]

26. "...given only general statements about family ties."

In other words, lied to.