Birzeit -- On Sunday 15 March 1998, ten male Birzeit University students from Gaza received permits to reside in the West Bank for a period of four months in order continue their studies after two years of denial of permits to all Gazan students. The ten students were part of a test list received in January 1998 of 100 students from Gaza who wish to study at West Bank universities. The names were reviewed by Israeli security for permits and out of 100 listed, 19 were refused permits for security reasons (including 2 female students), 41 female students were granted permits, and 40 male students were granted permission to obtain a permit.
The four month permits for female students were delivered by the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs in Gaza to the West Bank with no difficulty. However, obtaining these same permits for male students requires the renewal of their magnetic identity cards, which must be conducted at Erez checkpoint. In order to reach Erez, Gazan students in the West Bank must be escorted by both Israeli and Palestinian security personnel from the Joint Liaison Committee, an event which has taken over two and a half months to coordinate.
"I didn’t believe it would happen", commented one of the ten students upon his return. "When we got on the bus on Thursday, I thought I was saying goodbye to my degree and Birzeit. I was sure that we would be stuck in Gaza, not able to return to our studies. We had to stay until Sunday in order to get our magnetic identity cards, which took 6 hours of waiting at Erez. It was good to see Gaza and my family after a year and a half, but none of us were at ease. In the end, what difference does it make…the permit is for four months, it can be canceled at any time, and I still have a year to go for my degree. Will I get another permit or not?"
Birzeit University’s Human Rights Action Project welcomes the issuing of these permits. However, the vast majority of students from Gaza remain in the West Bank without permits, placing themselves at risk of arrest and imprisonment on a daily basis, and students in Gaza wishing to study in the West Bank have been prevented from doing so since March 1996. There are currently over 900 students from the Gaza Strip who are studying at universities in the West Bank without proper permits, thereby making their presence and pursuit of education illegal according to Israeli law. In March 1996, when permits for Gazan students were halted, over 1,300 students from the Gaza Strip were registered at universities in the West Bank. Almost half of these students were registered at Birzeit University. Today, only 241 students from Gaza are registered at the university. The test list of 100 names included only 18 students from Birzeit, 6 of which were female students. At this point, it is unclear whether or not the remaining students will receive permits.
Students today will form the leadership of Palestinian society in the years to come. By restricting freedom of movement and the right to education, Israel is denying these students the basic human rights required to develop an atmosphere of peace. Gazan students residing in the West Bank do not pose a greater threat to Israeli security than West Bank students residing in the West Bank. It is possible to address Israel's security concerns adequately without interfering with the students right to education.
As part of the efforts to secure these basic rights for Gaza students, the Academic Freedom First—International Campaign for Gaza Students was launched in 1997, and continues for a second year. For more information on the campaign and how you can be involved visit the Academic Freedom First--International Campaign for Gaza Students Homepage or contact the Human Rights Action Project
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Human Rights Action Project homepage - http://www.birzeit.edu/hrap/