CMEP Bulletin: Gaza Students’ Scholarships Canceled
weekly news update
Educational opportunities on hold
Students in the West Bank and Gaza face many obstacles in their quest for higher education. Several indicators show that Palestinians are among the most educated in the Arab world despite the hardships caused by the occupation and blockade. The students’ struggles received worldwide attention this week after the U.S. State Department withdrew scholarships for students in Gaza after Israeli authorities would not permit them to travel to the West Bank from Gaza.
Gaza student Amal Ashour, 18, is a student who recently studied in Minnesota during her senior year through a U.S. government funded program. This fall she planned to study in a West Bank university with financial support also provided by the U.S., however a month before school started, she was informed that her U.S. scholarship was no longer available.