The presidents of Palestinian universities published an open letter Saturday calling for the international academic community to work against the Israeli policy of restricting movement within the Palestinian territories and entry into them.

The letter stated that since the beginning of the year, and even more so since the Hamas victory in January parliamentary elections, thousands of foreign passport holders of Palestinian or other origin were denied residency or permission to work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"Israel has illegally taken hold for itself the right to authorize or reject work permits for foreigners to territories of the Palestinian Authority," the letter said.

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"Many of them are of Palestinian origin, and currently hold foreign passports because their identity cards were canceled while they worked or studied abroad, or because their requests for family reunification were rejected by Israeli occupation authorities," it added.

The drafters of the letter wrote that many of those denied entry into the territories are students attending institutions of higher education, and "their contributions to civil society, educational institutions and the private sector are of great value to the establishment of a Palestinian state."

In the letter, the presidents ask the international academic community "to support with appropriate collective activity," efforts to change Israeli policy on freedom of movement, and to promise "freedom to education and other activities in Palestine."

Fourteen presidents of universities and other institutions of higher education signed the letter, including the presidents of Al-Quds and Bir Zeit universities and the Islamic University of Gaza.