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Last update - 00:08 16/06/2008
Rice to Israel: 'Extremely important' to grant exit visas to Gaza Fulbright students
By Reuters
Tags: Condoleezza Rice

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday it was "extremely important" Israel allow three Palestinians to leave the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to take up prestigious U.S. fellowships.

Earlier this year the U.S. government was embarrassed when it became public it had withdrawn Fulbright fellowships for seven Gaza students because Israel had not granted them exit permits from the blockaded territory.

Israel tightened its cordon of the Gaza Strip after the Hamas Islamist group took control there nearly a year ago. Israel gives few Palestinians, other than some who are gravely ill, permission to leave.
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After media reports about the students' case, the United States restored the fellowships and formally asked Israel to allow them to leave Gaza.

Israel subsequently allowed four of seven Palestinians to leave Gaza to apply for U.S. visas but the other three have not received permission to leave for visa interviews at the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, Sari Bashi, the head of the Israeli human rights group Gisha, said.

Earlier this month, Israel's Supreme Court criticised the government for preventing the students from leaving Gaza and gave it two weeks to review its policy.

"I consider it extremely important for these young people to be able to take up their fellowships," Rice told U.S. reporters.

"Unless there is something that I have not yet seen - and I don't rule out that there may be some reason that we have not yet seen - but unless I see some other reason ... we are going to continue to work to try to get them help," she added.

"I consider it to be a very high priority to get this resolved," she said.

An Israeli official who coordinates civilian affairs between Israel and Gaza said security concerns were the reason for the refusal to travel.

"The three were denied permits to travel because of specific security concerns and is the reason they were not allowed out (of Gaza)," the official, Peter Lerner, said.

Gisha said Israel was preventing hundreds of students from leaving Gaza to go to foreign universities at which they have been accepted for studies.

"Since January 2008, Israel has refused to let young people in Gaza study abroad," Gisha said in a statement.

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      1.   Yes, god forbid these Pals get educated in the west! 00:58  |  Educator 16/06/08
      2.   Why thru Israel instead of Egypt? 01:25  |  Michael J Hessler 16/06/08
      3.   Maybe Israel doesn`t want the world to know 01:26  |  Janice 16/06/08
      4.   IF israel`s "security" claims are true 01:42  |  eric 16/06/08
      5.   This act justify the academic boycott of Israel in UK 01:43  |  Rasta 16/06/08
      6.   Poor Palestinian victims 01:51  |  Yanosh 16/06/08
      7.   There are a lot of bloody things Condaleeza Rice... 01:51  |  Maureen Ann 16/06/08
      8.   What`s the Hang Up? 02:01  |  Mark of Lewiston 16/06/08
      9.   a dream 02:03  |  canada 16/06/08
      10.   I guess it`s not "extremely important" to halt rocket attacks 02:28  |  b.moskowitz 16/06/08
      11.   Gaza students 02:55  |  Jim 16/06/08
      12.   Very important 03:15  |  ron 16/06/08
      13.   inculcated in terrorism, now import them??? 03:47  |  Akiva P 16/06/08
      14.   #4 Akiva 04:44  |  Cool B 16/06/08
      15.   Tell the price is 25 Fulbrights/year to Sderot students. 05:12  |  Dr. L. Brnd 16/06/08
      16.   #2 Because leaving isn`t the half of it, Jim 05:17  |  Johnboy 16/06/08
      17.   Rice is a Phony 05:50  |  SMF 16/06/08
      18.   Ron, what does one have to do with the other? 06:01  |  BBSNews 16/06/08
      19.   #6 BBS 06:23  |  ron 16/06/08
      20.   Ron on Secretary Rice... 06:47  |  BBSNews 16/06/08
      21.   SMF on phoneys... 07:25  |  BBSNews 16/06/08
      22.   Israeli Official, Peter Lerner Should Explain 07:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 16/06/08
      23.   What is Egypt`s role in all these student visa denials? 08:00  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/06/08
      24.   Well Done Israel! 08:00  |  Natallie Durson 16/06/08
      25.   Look at it from Condi`s point of view, ron 08:12  |  Johnboy 16/06/08
      26.   #11 BBSNews, yeah, I read that jpost article 08:32  |  Johnboy 16/06/08
      27.   The US has infinite power over Israel but won`t use it 09:21  |  Clickfool 16/06/08
      28.   Gazan `students` 09:38  |  Carolyn 16/06/08
      29.   #12 -Israel is a rogue state? 09:46  |  Carolyn 16/06/08
      30.   #15 Do you even *read* these articles, GT???? 09:53  |  Johnboy 16/06/08
      31.   ISRAEL TO RICE: 10:00  |  Robert 16/06/08
      32.   For Carolyn again # 21 10:11  |  Clickfool 16/06/08
      33.   WHY didn` they leave via Rafah if they are Pal. passsport holders 11:12  |  PETER SM 16/06/08
      34.   maybe israel is jelous, asking for 7 scholarships 11:23  |  Omar 16/06/08
      35.   Why can`t these students travel thru Egpyt instead? 11:39  |  veronica 16/06/08
      36.   Doctor Rice 11:51  |  Gregor 16/06/08
      37.   ANYBODY notice despite the hysterical posts,4 have got their visa 11:53  |  PETER SM 16/06/08
      38.   #33 PETER SM is another who doesn`t read the articles 11:55  |  Johnboy 16/06/08
      39.   Veronica-"racism" 12:03  |  nina 16/06/08
      40.   #7 Maureen Ann is soooo concerned 12:21  |  * BEN JABO 16/06/08
      41.   JOHNBOY Guess what? The US has a consulate in Egypt! promise! 12:24  |  PETER SM 16/06/08
      42.   #4 eric - if only Eric knew what truth was/is 12:24  |  * BEN JABO 16/06/08
      43.   send some oxford professors to gaza 12:37  |  tali 16/06/08
      44.   ISRAELI FARMERS STOP GAZA AID TRUCKS 12:39  |  tali 16/06/08
      45.   ISRAEL FARMERS ARE IN HUNGER ... 12:40  |  ... 16/06/08
      46.   love is much stronger than hate 13:07  |  Tali 16/06/08
      47.   we were much happy when we were sharing same sun. 13:11  |  tali 16/06/08
      48.   #44 Tali - You should know why 13:14  |  * BEN JABO 16/06/08
      49.   #45 whatever your name is 13:16  |  * BEN JABO 16/06/08
      50.   GIVE GAZA BUPKISS. 13:22  |  petra 16/06/08
      51.   # 37 petersm 13:24  |  Axel 16/06/08
      52.   Student visa 13:33  |  Hilda 16/06/08
      53.   No valid reason not to. Give kids a chance!!! 13:38  |  Virginia 16/06/08
      54.   shameful and disgusting action 14:03  |  taxpayer 16/06/08
      55.   Janice `Israel` doesn`t want the world to know 14:10  |  x-ray 16/06/08
      56.   Johnboy # 38 & 16 Student Visas 14:24  |  Jeff Northridge 16/06/08
      57.   Let them apply to the US consulate in Cairo 14:32  |  Realist 16/06/08
      58.   AXEL The point is 4 have their visas,the others? 14:58  |  PETER SM 16/06/08
      59.   TAXPAYER So "pay" for their interviews in Egypt 15:02  |  PETER SM 16/06/08
      60.   Love not only stronger than hate, it is the ultimate force in all 15:03  |  of creation!!! 16/06/08
      61.   Let the US send a consul to Gaza 15:10  |  Tosefta 16/06/08
      62.   Let the US send a consul to Gaza 15:11  |  Tosefta 16/06/08
      63.   # 48, in Olmert`s Land ! Farmers do polices Job ? 15:12  |  Tali 16/06/08
      64.   # 48 ! In Israel`s democracy ! Farmers are free to be Police ? 15:19  |  Tali 16/06/08
      65.   # 48 ! carefull with those farmers ! THEY MIGHT LOVE BEEN POLICES 15:20  |  Tali 16/06/08
      66.   In True Democracies, FARMERS ARE FARMERS, BARBERS ARE BARBERS 15:22  |  ... 16/06/08
      67.   THOSE FARMERS ! WHAT KIND OF POLICE TRAINING THEY HAD ? 15:24  |  ... 16/06/08
      68.   ALL ISRAEL FARMERS FOR KNESSET ! THE BEST FARM. 15:24  |  ... 16/06/08
      69.   WHY THOSE FARMERS DONT LOOK FOR FAKE MK`S IN KNESSET ? 15:25  |  ... 16/06/08
      70.   WHEN KNESSET IS A FARM ! ALL FARMERS WISHES TO DO KNESSET JOB 15:26  |  ... 16/06/08
      71.   IF YOU CANT CONTROL YOUR FARMERS ! YOU BETTER START PRAYING 15:27  |  ...